In what had looked like it would be a hard-fought draw at Craven Cottage, Fulham snatched their first victory of the 2025/26 Premier League season with a dramatic own goal by Leeds United’s Gabriel Gudmundsson in the 94th minute.
The late twist left Leeds stunned and the home crowds jubilant in a game where neither side really dominated until the very end.
Leeds United, under Daniel Farke, started with a number of changes. Five alterations to the side that drew at Newcastle included recalls for Ethan Ampadu and Brenden Aaronson, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Noah Okafor making their full Premier League debuts for the club. Karl Darlow replaced the injured Meslier between the sticks.
The early stages saw Leeds enjoy spells of possession and approach dangerous positions, particularly through crosses and set-pieces. Fulham, by contrast, offered very little in attack until late in the first half.
Leeds came close around the 20-minute mark when Anton Stach swung in a corner, Aaronson flicked it into the box and Calvert-Lewin met it, forcing Bernd Leno into a sharp save. There was a brief moment for Fulham when Rodrigo Muniz chased a long ball over the defence but was shut down by the Leeds backline.
As the first half drew to a close, Sean Longstaff had Leeds’ best chance: a rising shot from about 20 yards that looked destined for the top corner, only to crash off the crossbar. Fulham went into the dressing room irritated but level.
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Fulham emerged from halftime trying to find more rhythm, but Leeds were the ones creating danger. Anton Stach and Aaronson linked up well in wide areas, probing the Cottagers’ defence, and at one point Okafor found space, but his effort was blocked by Kenny Tete.
Leeds should perhaps have taken advantage of Fulham’s hesitance in defence, and their intensity increased after the break.
Fulham remained sub-par for large stretches, until Marco Silva made substitutions in the second half to inject fresh legs. Harry Wilson and later debutant Kevin, a Brazilian winger signed on deadline day, were introduced and began to make a difference.
The breakthrough moment for Fulham seemed to come when Kevin’s curling attempt from the edge of the area forced a fingertip save from Darlow. That, from about 14 minutes remaining, sparked momentum for the hosts.
Leeds continued to press, with Longstaff especially lively, and their patience nearly paid off more than once. Bernd Leno had to be at his best to deny Brenden Aaronson’s angled effort at his near post, and Rodrigo Muniz’s header late in the game was also kept out. But as the game entered into stoppage time, with both sides perhaps resigned to sharing the points, Fulham found their opening.
From Kevin’s earlier attempt, the corner was floated in. Gudmundsson, under no obvious pressure, got up and misjudged his header, diverting it into his own net.
The ball bounced past Karl Darlow and into the Fulham goal. The reaction in the stadium was instantaneous. Fulham’s players and fans erupted; for Leeds it was heartbreak.
When referee Craig Pawson’s final whistle blew, Fulham had claimed what might be their luckiest win of the season so far, while Leeds were left feeling they had done enough to at least take something from the game.
Post-match, Daniel Farke expressed sympathy for his players, calling their performance excellent and lamenting the cruel nature of the defeat. He didn’t blame individuals but recognised the deflating effect of conceding so late.
Marco Silva, meanwhile, praised Kevin for his impact after coming off the bench, saying that the new signing had qualities that are not easy to find and that his presence helped change the energy of the match.
Statistically the match was tight. The expected goals (xG) for both sides remained fairly low, indicating limited clear cut chances. Leeds perhaps had the better of the attacking moments overall, particularly through crosses and midfield rotations. Fulham’s threat was sporadic until the late substitution brought renewed intensity.