Match Recap: Fulham 1-2 Leeds United

Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds United won in London at the sixteenth attempt after goals from Bamford and Raphinha sealed a tight win against Fulham.

The Whites thought they had taken the lead on nine minutes with Luke Ayling heading brilliantly across the keeper having met a fantastic cross from Tyler Roberts. He and the team went mad and the ponytail was unleashed in celebration, but the joy was subdued by VAR who disallowed the goal for an offside offence by Roberts.

At the other end, Meslier was called into action by Josh Maja as he turned his marker well in the penalty area and shooting on the spin. Meslier quickly got a paw on the ball which spun behind him for Luke Ayling to mop up on the goal line in a close call.

Leeds took the lead on the half-hour mark as Harrison received the ball from a throw-in on the left side. He fired the ball in toward the front post while Bamford swung around his man and slipped the ball into the back of the net from close range.

However, Fulham were rallied to fight back following the goal and fired back just eight minutes later as Andersen volleyed a corner-kick from the right into the net.

As the hour-mark approached, Leeds re-took the lead while in transition following a decent opening at the other end for Fulham. Kalvin Phillips used his physicality to bully Lemina off the ball before Bamford latched onto it and took it past one defender. He then slipped the ball into Raphinha who was tightly marked by two Fulham defenders. Raphinha swept the ball away from one challenge from his left before finishing into the near right corner with his right foot in a brilliant move by the Brazilian.

The Whites came close to scoring again, with Raphinha having the best chance having been put in-behind by Roberts on the left channel and tried to round the goalkeeper but was well challenged and the chance was gone in a flash. Dallas also came close as Raphinha provided a nice pass on to Dallas’ overlapping run on the right channel fo the box. He drilled the ball low across the keeper but it just skewed wide.

In the end, Leeds took a well deserved three points from Craven Cottage as the team finally get a win in London under Marcelo Bielsa. Leeds now have a couple of weeks off as the international break commences before Leeds United host Sheffield United in a Yorkshire derby at Elland Road.