Leeds United suffered a 1-0 defeat to Fulham at Craven Cottage on Saturday, marking their second loss in four Premier League matches. Despite dominating the game, Leeds failed to create clear-cut chances, with Fulham accumulating 0.7 expected goals (xG) in the second half. The decisive moment came in the 94th minute when Gabriel Gudmundsson inadvertently headed a corner kick into his own net, securing Fulham’s first win of the season.
The Match
- Fulham’s Victory: Fulham’s late flurry of chances paid off, with Kevin, the Brazilian winger, injecting new energy into the team after his introduction in the 76th minute. His curling drive forced Karl Darlow into a spectacular save, ultimately leading to the winning corner.
- Leeds’ Performance: Leeds had the better chances, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin heading straight at Bernd Leno and Sean Longstaff striking the woodwork. However, they couldn’t find a way past Leno, extending their top-flight away defeat streak in London to nine matches ¹ ².
Post-Match Reactions
- Alan Shearer’s Sympathy: Alan Shearer expressed sympathy for Gabriel Gudmundsson, saying, “Oh god… I actually felt for him like most people did.” Shearer acknowledged that Gudmundsson couldn’t do much to prevent the own goal.
- Daniel Farke’s Comments: Leeds manager Daniel Farke was heartbroken for his players, praising their performance despite the loss. “I’m heartbroken. I feel for the players, it was an excellent away performance,” he said ³ ⁴.
Upcoming Fixtures
- Leeds vs Wolves: Leeds will face Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux Stadium on September 20. Given Wolves’ poor start to the season, this could be an ideal opportunity for Leeds to pick up some rare points on the road. Ao Tanaka’s quality on the ball might suit the game against Wolves, making him a potential starter ⁵.
