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Fulham 3-2 Brentford Mitrovic heads late winner

By Mantej MannBBC Sport
Fulham 3-2 Brentford: Cottagers were 'fantastic' in win over Bees says Marco Silva

Aleksandar Mitrovic headed a late winner as Fulham beat Brentford to earn a first win in 25 top-flight London derbies.

Brentford had fought back from 2-0 down before Mitrovic, who earlier forced David Raya into a couple of fine saves, finally found his third goal of the season with a guided header at Craven Cottage.

Fulham had led after 44 seconds when Bobby Decordova-Reid tapped in from close range, before summer signing Joao Palhinha doubled their advantage with a thumping header.

Christian Norgaard may have been fortunate to avoid a red card for a late challenge on Jay Stansfield but he brought the visitors back into the game with a sweetly struck volley straight from a corner.

And Ivan Toney, who had two goals ruled out for offside, levelled just after the break in a first Premier League meeting between the two sides.

The Bees drop to fifth in the table, while a first win of the season means Fulham move up to fourth in the table.

The promoted side have made an unbeaten start to the season, but manager Marco Silva is still demanding more from his team.

"We believe in ourselves, our philosophy and in our way," said Silva.

"It's the most difficult and best league in the world, but once you're here you have to challenge, you have to embrace the challenge.

"We know there will be good moments and bad moments, and we have to keep reacting.

"We're pleased with how we've started the season, but we could even have had - and obviously would have wanted - more points."

Cottagers edge entertaining derby

Aleksandar Mitrovic
Aleksandar Mitrovic scored his third Premier League goal of the season in the win over Brentford

Brentford came into the derby in confident mood after cruising past Manchester United in their last game, but that enthusiasm quickly evaporated as Fulham took the lead in the first minute.

Premier League debutant Stansfield fired a shot, which popped up off the crossbar and Decordova-Reid turned in the loose ball to send the home fans into raptures.

Fulham went on to dominate the early stages and were worthy of a two-goal lead when the impressive Palhinha managed to produce a powerful header from a stationary jump.

It could have been worse for the Bees but Norgaard avoided punishment when he conceded a free-kick for a late challenge on Stansfield.

And it was the Danish midfielder who then pulled one back following a move off the training ground as he peeled of his marker to smash Bryan Mbeumo's corner past Fulham keeper Bernd Leno.

Football is so painful when you lose - Frank

If Norgaard was lucky to remain on the field, so too was Palhinha, who only received a yellow for a late aerial challenge with Ben Mee which left the Brentford defender on the turf.

Brentford continued to push for the equaliser after the break and Toney surged clear twice in quick succession and shot into the bottom corner but was ruled offside, before his third attempt counted after a cushioned finish.

The hosts managed to wrestle back momentum and Mitrovic threatened twice, but his one-on-one opportunity after Norgaard's loose backpass was well-kept out by Raya, before the Brentford keeper also palmed away a header from the Serb.

But the Fulham frontman was not to be denied late on as rose highest to power a header into the corner and seal a first win of the season for the newly-promoted side.

Player of the match

MitrovicAleksandar Mitrovic

with an average of 7.86

Fulham

  1. Squad number9Player nameMitrovic
    Average rating

    7.86

  2. Squad number18Player nameAndreas Pereira
    Average rating

    7.24

  3. Squad number27Player nameMbabu
    Average rating

    7.17

  4. Squad number14Player nameDe Cordova-Reid
    Average rating

    6.99

  5. Squad number65Player nameStansfield
    Average rating

    6.96

  6. Squad number26Player nameJoão Palhinha
    Average rating

    6.94

  7. Squad number10Player nameCairney
    Average rating

    6.88

  8. Squad number5Player nameDuffy
    Average rating

    6.64

  9. Squad number6Player nameReed
    Average rating

    6.59

  10. Squad number17Player nameLeno
    Average rating

    6.42

  11. Squad number33Player nameRobinson
    Average rating

    6.36

  12. Squad number13Player nameReam
    Average rating

    6.28

  13. Squad number4Player nameTosin
    Average rating

    6.26

  14. Squad number2Player nameTete
    Average rating

    6.24

Brentford

  1. Squad number17Player nameToney
    Average rating

    7.38

  2. Squad number2Player nameHickey
    Average rating

    7.20

  3. Squad number6Player nameNørgaard
    Average rating

    6.69

  4. Squad number10Player nameDasilva
    Average rating

    6.60

  5. Squad number8Player nameJensen
    Average rating

    6.59

  6. Squad number19Player nameMbeumo
    Average rating

    6.49

  7. Squad number23Player nameLewis-Potter
    Average rating

    6.47

  8. Squad number11Player nameWissa
    Average rating

    6.28

  9. Squad number14Player nameGhoddos
    Average rating

    6.28

  10. Squad number26Player nameBaptiste
    Average rating

    6.21

  11. Squad number16Player nameMee
    Average rating

    6.19

  12. Squad number27Player nameJanelt
    Average rating

    6.16

  13. Squad number1Player nameRaya
    Average rating

    6.15

  14. Squad number3Player nameHenry
    Average rating

    6.11

  15. Squad number18Player nameJansson
    Average rating

    6.03

Line-ups

Fulham

Formation 4-2-3-1

  • 17Leno
  • 2TeteBooked at 31minsSubstituted forMbabuat 77'minutesBooked at 90mins
  • 4Tosin
  • 13Ream
  • 33Robinson
  • 6Reed
  • 26João PalhinhaBooked at 29mins
  • 65StansfieldSubstituted forCairneyat 77'minutes
  • 18Pereira
  • 14De Cordova-Reid
  • 9MitrovicSubstituted forDuffyat 90+2'minutes

Substitutes

  • 1Rodák
  • 5Duffy
  • 10Cairney
  • 12Chalobah
  • 27Mbabu
  • 31Diop
  • 35Francois
  • 37Ablade
  • 38Harris

Brentford

Formation 4-3-3

  • 1Raya
  • 2HickeySubstituted forLewis-Potterat 59'minutes
  • 18Jansson
  • 16MeeBooked at 80mins
  • 3Henry
  • 10DasilvaBooked at 56minsSubstituted forBaptisteat 74'minutes
  • 6Nørgaard
  • 8JensenSubstituted forJaneltat 60'minutes
  • 19Mbeumo
  • 17Toney
  • 11WissaSubstituted forGhoddosat 83'minutes

Substitutes

  • 14Ghoddos
  • 15Onyeka
  • 21Dervisoglu
  • 22Strakosha
  • 23Lewis-Potter
  • 26Baptiste
  • 27Janelt
  • 29Bech Sørensen
  • 30Roerslev
Referee:
Peter Bankes
Attendance:
21,798

Match Stats

Home TeamFulhamAway TeamBrentford
Possession
Home44%
Away56%
Shots
Home18
Away13
Shots on Target
Home9
Away5
Corners
Home6
Away3
Fouls
Home13
Away7

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Fulham 3, Brentford 2.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Fulham 3, Brentford 2.

  3. Booking

    Kevin Mbabu (Fulham) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

  4. Post update

    Rico Henry (Brentford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  5. Post update

    Foul by Kevin Mbabu (Fulham).

  6. Post update

    Foul by Ivan Toney (Brentford).

  7. Post update

    Shane Duffy (Fulham) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  8. Substitution

    Substitution, Fulham. Shane Duffy replaces Aleksandar Mitrovic.

  9. Goal!

    Goal! Fulham 3, Brentford 2. Aleksandar Mitrovic (Fulham) header from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Kevin Mbabu with a cross.

  10. Post update

    Attempt missed. Aleksandar Mitrovic (Fulham) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Tom Cairney.

  11. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Harrison Reed (Fulham) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Bobby De Cordova-Reid.

  12. Post update

    Shandon Baptiste (Brentford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  13. Post update

    Foul by Harrison Reed (Fulham).

  14. Post update

    Offside, Fulham. Bernd Leno tries a through ball, but Aleksandar Mitrovic is caught offside.

  15. Substitution

    Substitution, Brentford. Saman Ghoddos replaces Yoane Wissa.

  16. Post update

    Attempt missed. Harrison Reed (Fulham) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left.

  17. Post update

    Attempt saved. Aleksandar Mitrovic (Fulham) header from the left side of the six yard box is saved in the top left corner. Assisted by Kevin Mbabu with a cross.

  18. Booking

    Ben Mee (Brentford) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

  19. Post update

    Foul by Ben Mee (Brentford).

  20. Post update

    Tom Cairney (Fulham) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

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