LEEDS - Leeds United sank to a 3-2 defeat at home to Fulham in the Premier League on Sunday, leaving them in the relegation zone and heaping more pressure on coach Jesse Marsch.
Leeds, who are without a league win since August, are 18th in the standings on nine points after a fourth consecutive defeat. Fulham meanwhile climbed up to seventh on 18.
The home side went ahead in the 20th minute with a close-ranged header from Spanish forward Rodrigo but Fulham responded four minutes later when Aleksandar Mitrović headed home from an Andreas Pereira corner to score his ninth goal of the season.
RODRIGOOO!
It is just what Leeds United needed a 1-0 lead.@CNBC #MyPLMorning | #LEEFUL pic.twitter.com/J3Er4IAnCE
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) October 23, 2022
We are even!
Fulham with beautiful set piece to tie this one up.@CNBC #MyPLMorning | #LEEFUL pic.twitter.com/EjiUKhecIY
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) October 23, 2022
Leeds had the bulk of the chances in an entertaining second period as both sides went in search of a winner, with Luke Ayling, Rodrigo, Brenden Aaronson and substitute Patrick Bamford all squandering promising opportunities.
Fulham also wasted two clear efforts but took the lead in the 74th minute when full-back Bobby Decordova-Reid headed in another cross from Pereira.
WOW!
Fulham knocks a header home to take the late lead.@CNBC#MyPLMorning | #LEEFUL pic.twitter.com/EzgoUDtrMH
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) October 23, 2022
The goal led to Leeds fans quickly turning on American coach Marsch, some chanting "You're getting sacked in the morning." The anger in the stadium rose further when Willian struck Fulham's third goal in the 83rd after the visitors had run the hosts' defense ragged.
FULHAM AGAIN!
This one by Willian makes it 3-1.@CNBC #MyPLMorning | #LEEFUL pic.twitter.com/PQoMBfhKsv
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) October 23, 2022
Substitute Crysencio Summerville gave Leeds hope of a fightback when he slid to poke the ball home in added time, but it was too little, too late for Marsch's side.
Leeds aren't done yet.
Crysencio Summerville scores and cuts the lead to just one in stoppage time.@CNBC #LEEFUL | #MyPLMorning pic.twitter.com/MXd3OxGB5E
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) October 23, 2022
"It's a hard one to take," said Leeds defender Ayling. "We did well in the first 30 minutes but we were sloppy from set-pieces, with all three goals coming from them. That just can't happen."
However, he insisted the players were right behind Marsch, who succeeded Marcelo Bielsa last February, adding: "He took over in a tricky situation last season and kept us in the league."
Leeds took the lead when Aaronson's shot bounced off a Fulham defender and fizzed into the air and towards goal, where Rodrigo nodded the ball into the net, scoring his fifth goal of the season but his first since Aug 21. Leeds then handed Fulham a way back into the game when slack marking from a corner allowed Mitrović a free header and Illan Meslier feebly allowed the ball to squirm past him.
Pereira then wasted a glorious chance to give the visitors the lead before halftime while João Palhinha and Mitrović missed the target after the break before Decordova-Reid put Fulham ahead. It was Fulham's fifth win of the season from 12 matches, as many victories as they managed in the whole of their previous top-flight campaign.
"I think we deserved to win," said Willian. "We created so many chances to win this game and we all showed our quality."
(Reporting by Richard Martin, Editing by William Maclean)
