Leeds United conceded a last-gasp equaliser to draw 1-1 at Fulham.
Leeds’ Souleymane Doukara watches as Fulham’s Tim Ream scores an own goal
Pundit Noel Whelan has told BBC Radio Leeds that Alfonso Pedraza’s missed chances ultimately cost Leeds as they drew 1-1 at Fulham this evening.
Leeds travelled down to Craven Cottage in search of another victory having beaten Birmingham City 3-1 on Friday evening, and looked to be on their way to all three points.
The Whites went in front early on as Tim Ream sliced the ball into this own net following a long ball forward, giving Garry Monk’s men something to protect.
Leeds battled away in the face of major pressure and could have sealed the win when Alfonso Pedraza hit the post in the second half, but Kalvin Phillips’ red card left Leeds exposed for the final stages.
With virtually the last kick of the game, former Leeds youth ace Tom Cairney cut inside and whipped a left footed strike beyond Robert Green and into the top corner of the net to rescue a point for Fulham.
Leeds will have been devastated to give up such a late equaliser having battled so valiantly without Luke Ayling and Chris Wood, but with Sheffield Wednesday and Reading also drawing, it’s not a disastrous result or Leeds.
Leeds manager Garry Monk
After the final whistle, pundit and former Leeds striker Noel Whelan spoke to BBC Radio Leeds, and called the game ‘an onslaught’ after Leeds’ goal, but felt Leeds defended superbly – only to be beaten by a shot that few goalkeepers could have saved.
Whelan also pinpointed two missed chances from Spanish winger Pedraza, first forcing Button into a save in the first half before hitting the post in the second, with the ex-striker feeling that they were key moments, as if one of those had gone in, it could have been game over.
“After ten minutes in the first half, Leeds were doing well, closing down and got the goal, got in front, but after that, it was an onslaught,” said Whelan. “It was basically attack versus defence. I’m not sure how many corners Fulham had, but they’ve got an abundance of pace with Aluko and Kebano, they caused problems all night. We defended everything that was thrown at us until the final kick of the game, which I don’t think many goalkeepers would saved.”
“Pedraza in the first half, very similar to Birmingham in the same position, inside the box, just the keeper and him, and he’s gone for power rather than going across the goalkeeper. It’s a good save by Button, but in the second half, he had the best chance. He’s got in that similar position, coming off the left, he’s tried to give the keeper the eyes, he hasn’t gone across the keeper, he’s gone near post, and it’s hit the foot of the post and come back out. Pedraza had his head in hands afterwards, and he’s had the best two chances and we didn’t have many of them. If he’d put one of those away, I feel it would have been very hard for Fulham to come back in this game,” he added.
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