Fulham 0-0 (5-6 on pens.) Leeds United
Leeds United are through to the fourth round of the 2021/22 Carabao Cup after beating second tier Fulham on penalties, though the unlucky hosts had the better of the 90 minutes action.
Marco Silva has made a good start as Fulham boss and his side sits second in the Championship table, two points behind leaders Bournemouth. And the Cottagers gave as good as they got in a tight game, having more shots on goal and on target in the ninety minutes. But Marcelo Bielsa’s stars held their nerve in the shootout to take their place in the fourth round draw.
Highlights of the game
The hosts were up for this game from the off, keen to prove that they can live with Premier League opposition and that their stay in the second tier will not be too long. In just the second minute Brazilian forward Rodrigo Muniz came close to scoring when he met a cross from Neeskens Kebano but his header flew just wide of the right post. He then took a pass from Joe Bryan and stung the palms of Leeds keeper Illan Meslier with a well struck effort. And as Fulham continued their bright start Meslier was called on again to save an effort from Domingos Quina after good work from Josh Onomah.
Leeds grew into the game came pretty quickly though, and England star Kalvin Phillips came close with a header from a Stuart Dallas corner to spark a flurry of attacks from the Yorkshire side. Rodrigo took aim and fired wide to the left and Tyler Roberts had a shot blocked. Rodrigo was in a lively mood and he gave the Fulham defence another fright when he fired a cross shot skidding wide of the post, and then he forced Marek Rodak into a save with a shot from distance.
But the opening half ended as it began with a flourish from the home side, and Leeds had their keeper to thank for going in level at half time. First he saved a Kebano effort which was destined for the bottom corner and then he stood firm to keep out a shot from Onomah.
The players who starred in the first half came out for the second in the same vein and Kebano crossed for Muniz who headed wide for Fulham, while at the other end Rodrigo had a shot blocked. Then, after a stodgy period of play, midway through the second half Muniz won another header which flew wide of Meslier’s post and then the Leeds keeper tipped an effort from Onomah over the bar.
As the 90 minute mark approached the two teams traded blows as Rodrigo had a shot blocked and Muniz drove an effort just too high. Then Fulham’s Michael Hector missed with a long range effort before Leeds’ Charlie Creswell headed just wide.
And so to the penalties… after Rodrigo slotted his spot kick home, Fulham’s Onomah smashed his against the bar. Dan James made it 2-0 to Leeds before Ivan Cavaleiro calmly slid his penalty into the corner of the net. Kalvin Phillips made it 3-1 to the Yorkshire side and the excellent Kebano reduced the deficit to one.
When Stuart Dallas saw his penalty saved, Joe Bryan had a great chance to level for the Cottagers but he fired his spot kick high and wide, and the trend continued as Adam Forshaw blasted over the bar, but Fulham’s Michael Hector kept his nerve to level at 3-3.
Sudden death didn’t worry Junior Firpo who fired his spot kick into the top corner and Alfie Mawson shot low to level for Fulham at 4-4. Joe Geldhart and Bobby Reid both converted, as did Leeds’ Stuart McKinstry, but then Muniz, who had been such a threat in normal time, saw his penalty saved and Fulham were out.
Key statistics
At SBOTOP odds of 3.06 the draw was the least likely result but it was a hard-fought game and the two teams cancelled each other out in normal time.
Leeds won the first half shot count by eight to seven, but Meslier was the busier of the two goalkeepers as Fulham had five shots on target to the Whites’ three. By the end of the game the Cottagers had won the shot count by 15 to 12 but at six to three they could only add one more on target.
What’s next?
The Carabao Cup 2021 betting odds had Leeds at 21.00 to win the trophy and while this display may not have reduced the odds, the Whiles are still in the hunt for silverware.
But in the meantime it’s back to the bread and butter of league matters.
Last time out in the Premier League Leeds drew with Newcastle in a hard fought game, and over the next two weeks they have two home games as West Ham and then Watford are the visitors to Elland Road. Those fixtures will throw up two different challenges. The Hammers have been scoring for fun again and have their sights set on another top seven finish, while Watford are fighting hard at the start of their return to the Premier League, winning 3-1 at Norwich last time out. Striker Ismaila Sarr scored twice for the Hornets and he’ll be a big threat.
In the Championship, Fulham are on the road next Saturday when they head to Ashton Gate to take on Bristol City. The Robins are currently in ninth place but only four points behind the Cottagers after a 1-2 win away to Queens Park Rangers extended their unbeaten run to four. Bristol’s canny manager Nigel Pearson will have been watching Carabao Cup updates with interest as he prepares his team for battle.
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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