By Samuel Indyk
LONDON (Reuters) -Goals from Harry Wilson and Andreas Pereira handed Fulham a 2-1 victory over Leeds United at Craven Cottage on Saturday, denting the visitors’ Premier League survival hopes and cementing the west London side’s position in the top half of the table.
Fulham have moved up to ninth spot on 45 points, while Leeds stay 16th with 29, two points above the relegation zone.
There were few chances in the first half, with Leeds’ Marc Roca forcing a good save by Bernd Leno from a free kick and Fulham’s best opportunities falling to Pereira from long range.
The hosts took the lead in the 58th minute with a powerful finish from Harry Wilson after Leeds keeper Illan Meslier parried a Willian cross into the Welsh forward’s path.
“It fell lovely for me, it was a good team move and it came back off the keeper and it just sat up nicely and I could get a nice connection on it,” Wilson told BT Sport.
Fulham continued to apply the pressure and almost doubled their lead when a Pereira free kick rattled the crossbar.
But it did not take long for the Londoners to get their second goal in a similar fashion to the first. Meslier could only divert a cross from left back Antonee Robinson into Pereira’s path and the midfielder lashed the ball into the unguarded net for his fourth league goal of the season.
Leeds made a raft of substitutions to try and salvage something from the game and it was one of those changes that helped create their consolation goal.
Striker Patrick Bamford came off the bench and turned the ball forward after a ricochet in the area before Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha diverted it into his own net.
Eight minutes of added time gave Leeds hope of finding an equaliser and even keeper Meslier went forward for a corner as they tried to rescue a point but Fulham held on.
“With our quality and our fast attacks we did well with the two goals,” said Fulham manager Marco Silva. “There were chances to score even more. The own goal gave that belief to them, but well played to the lads they did well.”
(Reporting by Samuel Indyk; Editing by Ken Ferris)
