A pinpoint header in the top corner to clinch victory in the final minute of stoppage time would have been what Leeds United’s Gabriel Gudmundsson dreamed of ahead of the resumption of the Premier League. But it was the stuff of nightmares as the Swedish left back beat Karl Darlow to gift Fulham their first league win of the season and spark choruses of ‘Leeds are falling apart again from the Hammersmith End’. The luck wasn’t with the Whites before the international break but after Tom Cairney narrowly failed to connect with Sasa Lukic’s corner they got plenty of fortune here.
A despondent Daniel Farke described it as a “one in 10,000” goal that extended Leeds’ losing run in London to nine top-flight games and the late drama was even more gutting as they had dug on to nullify Marco Silva’s side effectively until he summoned record signing Kevin from the bench. The Brazilian winger produced one astonishing cross with the outside of his right foot and then drew a fine fingertip save from Darlow before the Welsh goalkeeper was beaten by Gudmundsson’s inexplicable header under no pressure.
Fulham’s record signing started on the bench and the home side hardly featured in the final third during a forgettable first 45 minutes that saw Ryan Sessegnon surge into promising positions but Rodrigo Muniz fail to figure as an attacking threat. Silva’s side couldn’t muster a single shot on target, whilst Sean Longstaff grazed the top of Bernd Leno’s bar with a venomous drive and Dominic Calvert-Lewin wasted a first half header.
Farke altered his front line with Brandon Aaronson toiling manfully before testing Leno in the second half and Noah Okafor threatening to run in behind Joachim Andersen early on and Calvert-Lewin looking leggy as he seeks match sharpness following his free transfer from Everton. It took Fulham 58 minutes to test Darlow and there was inevitability that the Welshman’s international team-mate Harry Wilson, whose deadline day switch to Elland Road fell through at the eleventh hour, would do so. The winger’s free-kick looked destined for the top corner before Darlow palmed it away.
Fulham perked up once Emile Smith Rowe and Adama Traore were introduced as the Cottage crowd clamoured for Kevin. Traore’s pace panicked the Leeds defence, whilst Smith Rowe came close to beating Darlow at his near post and Muniz headed straight at Darlow from Kenny Tete’s cross. Raul Jimenez was more effective in the penalty area, but the Sao Paolo starlet made all the difference in the final fourteen minutes.
He immediately challenged Jayden Bogle with his dribbling and injection of pace and promise that added an extra dimension to Fulham’s formerly flat forward line. It was obvious to see why Silva was so keen to sign the talented 22 year-old whose wonderful wing play seems perfectly suited for the Premier League.
**FULHAM (4-2-3-1):** Leno; Tete, R. Sessegnon, Andersen, Bassey; Berge (Cairney 84), Lukic; Wilson (Traore 60), Iwobi (Kevin 76), King (Smith Rowe 60); Muniz (Jimenez 74). **Subs (not used):** Lecomte, Castagne, Diop, A. Robinson.
**BOOKED:** Berge.
**GOAL:** Gudmundsson (o.g. 90+4).
**LEEDS UNITED (4-3-3):** Darlow; Bogle, Gudmundsson, Rodon, Struijk; Ampadu, Longstaff, Stach; Aaronson (James 77; Gnoto 89), Okafor (Harrison 68), Calvert-Lewin (Nmecha 69). **Subs (not used):** Meslier, Justin, Bijol, Gruev, Tanaka.
**BOOKED:** Stach, Okar.
**REFEREE:** Craig Pawson (South Yorkshire).
**ATTENDANCE:** 27,327