JOKA SAYS LAST LAUGH COULD BE ON CARDIFF
Mitrovic piles on the pressure
ALEKSANDAR Mitrovic’s tapin gifted Fulham a huge three points in the automatic promotion race, but boss Slavisa Jokanovic insists the pressure is all on second-placed Cardiff.
Mitrovic’s goal capped a perfect 24 hours for Fulham’s promotion credentials after Cardiff lost to Wolves on Friday evening and Aston Villa lost in the lunch-time kick-off.
But Jokanovic played down Fulham’s chances of making up the two-point gap to Cardiff due to the Welsh’s side game in hand, admitting it was more important to concentrate on their own form.
“It’s a very important win,” he said. “It’s a crucial moment in the Championship with only a few games ahead of us. We are trying to put Cardiff under pressure and it’s important not give up.
“It’s two points now, but they have a game in hand. Everything is under Cardiff’s control and we are completely relaxed.
“I never targeted second place, and this is a bonus for us. We can only do our jobs and try to put them under pressure. We have nothing to lose.
“Mitrovic’s goalscoring form is good. We made plenty of chances, and we shot 20 times. At the other end our defensive line is working very well and we didn’t give them
many chances. It’s our third clean sheet in a row, which is a new situation for the team.
“We are in a good moment. We trust each other and it is definitely good news for us.”
Fulham had the ball in the net after 11 minutes, but Sheyi Ojo was denied by the offside flag after sliding in to convert Kevin McDonald’s cross.
Ryan Sessegnon and Mitrovic linked up well on 23 minutes after the Serbian striker beat the offside trap but, after his flick back, the teenage winger’s header looped onto the bar and over. Then Ryan Fredericks got forward on the overlap on 43 minutes and stood up a hanging cross for Mitrovic, but Wildsmith parried his close-range header away.
After the break, Mitrovic headed over from a left-wing corner on 65 minutes and McDonald blazed over moments later from Cairney’s low cross.
Substitute Neeskens Kebano and Fredericks linked up on 73 minutes to release Stefan Johansen, but his low shot was charged down by Wildsmith.
Fulham finally broke the deadlock on 78 minutes, however, as Sessegnon got behind the defence and crossed for Mitrovic to tap in from close range.
The visitors had several chances to seal victory, not least when Kebano ran on to McDonald’s flicked pass on 88 minutes only for Wildsmith to again save well.
Wednesday nearly levelled deep in stoppage time, when Daniel Pudil pulled back for Adam Reach, who teed up Fernando Forestieri, but he shot over and Fulham held on.
Wednesday boss Jos Luhukay admitted they were beaten by a better team.
“Of course, from the result, I’m disappointed,” he said. “We had, in the second half, no control and we were only defending, and Fulham had more chances than just the goal they scored. Joe Wildsmith was the best player in our team.
“It was not a day for our strikers. They did not get on the ball, and when they did it was not in dangerous areas.
“We have lost a game to a very good team. We saw why they are playing for automatic promotion. At the end we must give Fulham credit. They are deserving winners and they will fight with Cardiff for promotion.”
Luhukay also bemoaned another injury to Barry Bannan – the Scottish midfielder hobbled off in the first half – admitting it had an impact on the team.
“In the last few games you have seen how important Barry is for us,” he said. “When he got injured it gave us a problem when we had the ball. Barry can play football and allow more rest to us – it was not so happy for us when he went off.”