◤FA Cup◢ João Palhinha and Manor Solomon wonderstrikes helps Fulham defeat Leeds United and reach the quarter-finals..

2023-03-01 14:41

◤FA Cup◢ João Palhinha and Manor Solomon wonderstrikes helps Fulham defeat Leeds United and reach the quarter-finals..





Fulham beat Leeds United 2-0 at Craven Cottage in the 2022/23 FA Cup fifth round on Tuesday to advance to the next round.


In the first half, Rutter rebounded a shot into the net, but the goal was ruled out because of an earlier foul by his teammate. Subsequently, after Palhinha scored with a wonderstrike after stealing possession. Afterwards, Roca's long-range shot was blocked, and Gnonto's rebounded shot turned into the net, but the goal was ruled out as he was offside. Then, Rutter's header hits the post. In the second half, Gnonto's volley and Rutter's shot was blocked successively. After that, Solomon scored with a long-range wonderstrike. Mitrović then scored with a header but was ruled out for being offside in the first place. At the critical moment, McKennie's double strikes were blocked by the opposing captain. In the end, Fulham defeated Leeds United 2-0 to win the all Premier League clubs  clash and progress into the quarter-finals.




First Half


In the 15th minute, Leeds United got a corner opportunity. Marc Roca took the corner by crossing it into the box, Weston McKennie rose high with a header, his effort was initially parried by Marek Rodák not far away, Georginio Rutter quickly followed up, picked up the loose ball and shot into the bottom right corner of the net from a very close range at the right side of the box, but the referee immediately whistled and ruled that McKennie had pushed Harry Wilson in the build-up in the first place, hence the goal was disallowed!


6 minutes later, Fulham made a deadly quick counterattack. João Palhinha intercepted the ball, took a few steps then took a long shot with his right foot from 30 yards outside the penalty area, the shot flew past the helpless Illan Meslier into the upper right corrner of the net, creating a wonderstrike in the process, Fulham broke the deadlock early to take a 1-0 lead!


In the 22nd minute, Crysencio Summerville passes horizontally from the right wing, Marc Roca quickly followed up, stopped the ball, adjusted his angles before taking a long shot with his left-foot from the edge of the penalty area, but his shot was parried away by Rodák by the bottom right corner.


7 minutes later, Roca crossed into the box from the left wing, Luke Ayling ferried the ball with a headed pass, the ball initially was blocked off not far away by Tim Ream, Rasmus Kristensen quickly followed up and volleyed with his right-foot upon picking up the loose ball from outside of the penalty area, but his shot was parried not far away by Rodák by the bottom left corner, after Wilfried Gnonto who was unmarked had contact with the loose ball, he pushed the ball into the lower center of the net, but the linesman immediately raised their flag to indicate that the latter was in an offside position in the first place, thus the goal was disallowed!


In the 3rd minute of additional time in the first half, Gnonto crossed into the box from the left wing, Rutter rose high on the right side of the box and attempted with a header, however his effort unfortunately hit the bottom left corner of the post and bounced off. Leeds United missed the golden opportunity to equalize the scoreline!


At the end of the first half, Fulham temporarily led Leeds United 1-0 and entered half-time.





Second Half


Both teams sides switched sides as the match continued. In the 48th minute, Rutter passes from the front, Gnonto quickly followed up, got the ball, took a few steps then volleyed with his left-foot from the left side of the box, but his shot was parried away by Rodák by the bottom right corner.


3 minutes later, Summerville cuts back an pass from the edge of the byline at the right side of the box, Rutter quickly followed up, got the ball, took few steps before volleying with his left-foot from the center of the box, his shot was held onto by Rodák.


In the 56th minute, Manor Solomon and Aleksandar Mitrović played a wonderful one-two pass at front, after receiving the latter's return pass, Solomon quickly followed up, took a few steps then unleashed a long-shot with his right-foot from the just outside of the penalty area, the ball hits the right post and deflected into the bottom right corner of the net past Meslier who was helpless again, creating a wonderstrike in the process. Fulham expanded their lead to 0-2! The Israeli international player, who is in a great form, came off the bench to score in his 4th consecutive games!


In the 65th minute, Cédric Soares crossed into the box from the right wing, Aleksandar Mitrović who was unmarked scored with a header from the center of the box, but the linesman immediately raised their flag to signal that latter was in an offside position in the first place, hence the goal was disallowed!


In the 79th minute, Jack Harrison crossed from the edge of the byline at the left side of the box, The ball was iniitally punched not far away by Rodák, after picking the loose ball, Weston McKennie strucked with his right-foot from the center of the box, the ball was blocked not far away by Tim Ream, creating a chaos in the box immediately, Summerville and Brenden Aaronson successively made follow-up shots but were blocked by the opposing defender not far away, after picking up the loose ball again, McKennie shot with his left-foot from the center of the box, however his shot was blocked off for a corner by Ream again.


Since then, the two sides have made not much achievements in the game. As the final whistle is blown, Fulham defeated Leeds United 2-0 to reach the quarter-finals for the first time after 13 years.