A pair of world class strikes saw Fulham progress to the Quarter-Finals of the Emirates FA Cup, at the expense of Leeds United.
João Palhinha – in his final outing before serving a two-game suspension – got things up and running with an outrageous long range finish, which he had set up himself with a trademark tackle.
Manor Solomon doubled our lead in the second half with a goal straight out of the Solomon playbook, bending home after cutting in from the left for his fourth goal in as many outings.
Two of seven changes to the starting line-up saw Cédric Soares and Saša Lukić handed full debuts, while Aleksandar Mitrović made a welcome return from injury to lead the line.
Leeds had the ball in the net with quarter of an hour played when Georginio Rutter tapped in after Marek Rodák had saved Weston McKennie’s header at a corner, but the American midfielder only made contact having shoved Harry Wilson out the way, and the goal was duly ruled out.
It had been a lowkey start to proceedings, but there was nothing timid about the opener. With his first touch, Palhinha robbed the ball from Marc Roca 30 yards from goal, and with his second he caressed an absolutely stunning shot into the back of the net via the post. Simply sublime.
Leeds responded with a decent Roca hit from the edge of the box which Rodák was forced to parry away, before having a further goal disallowed when Wilfried Gnonto converted from an offside position following another good Rodák stop.
For the third time, the away fans in the Putney End celebrated what they thought was a goal at the end of the half when Rutter sent a looping header over Rodák, but it came back off the inside of the post after it looked for all the world to be finding the back of the net.
Rodák had needed to be alert in the first half, and that was the case again in the opening phases of the second when he got down sharply to repel Gnonto’s angled drive, before holding Rutter’s snapshot.
You almost, just almost, felt sorry for Leeds when Solomon struck. It was absolutely trademark from the Israeli, playing a one-two with Mitrović before curling a peach beyond Illan Meslier and inside the far post.
Mitrović thought he’d made it three when he stooped to nod home Cédric’s lovely cross, but he was beyond the last man when the Portuguese whipped the ball in and was flagged off.
A couple of United changes gave them something of a renewed vigour, with Jack Harrison blazing over and Brenden Aaronson volleying marginally wide.
Denied an assist by the linesperson’s flag, Cédric tried to go one better with five minutes to play when he let rip from 25 yards. The power had Meslier worried, with the goalkeeper needing two bites to hold onto it.
It wasn’t to be a miss of any significance, though, with the Whites holding out to book a first FA Cup Quarter-Final berth since 2010.
Hot Match Today
Malaysia Time (GMT +8)
02/03 03:45 AM | Arsenal – Everton
02/03 04:00 AM | Liverpool – Wolves
FA CUP – ENGLAND
02/03 03:15 AM | Southampton – Grimsby Town
02/03 03:30 AM | Burnley – Fleetwood Town
02/03 03:45 AM | Manchester United – West Ham United
02/03 03:55 AM | Sheffield United – Tottenham Hotspur
Other Sport Article: https://bit.ly/3SE3qbx
Contact Us 📲
💻Skype: w88cs.help
📌FB: w88liveMYR
📩Email: [email protected]
📬Telegram: W88Malaysia
🎥Whatsapp: +639452649271