Mitrovic wins it by a head
ALEKS THE GREAT IS THE HERO FOR FULHAM AGAIN
ALEKSANDAR MITROVIC showed once again that if you give the Serb an inch, he will take away your smile.
The Fulham striker scored his 34th league goal of an allconquering season to extend his club’s lead at the top of the table.
It was not the deadly marksman’s best performance, but the amount of space given to the forward at the back post four minutes before the break was unforgivable – although Cardiff boss Steve Morison claimed his defenders had been blocked off the ball.
Mitrovic headed home from Harry Wilson’s cross and that was enough to give Marco Silva’s men their eighth league victory in the last 10 matches. Cardiff managed to raise a late assault, and they did spurn an early chance when James Collins shot straight at Cottagers goalkeeper
FULHAM
Marek Rodak.
But with a sickness bug having ruled out seven of their players, they lacked the cohesion to make the most of their moments of pressure.
The temperature rose late on when Fulham boss Silva (below) gestured to the fourth official that Perry Ng had flung an elbow into the face of Fulham’s Ivan Cavaleiro.
But Silva played down the incident and Morison insisted: “It was handbags. I have watched it back 10 times and Perry Ng has brushed him. It’s pathetic.”
Mitrovic was subdued for much of the game, but sprang to life just before the interval.
He escaped the attention of Aden
Flint at the far post and was picked out perfectly by a cross from Wilson.
That must have hurt the Bluebirds – not just conceding but the fact that creator Wilson was a player they had wanted to buy after a loan from Liverpool.
Silva said: “As we expected it was tough, it is always hard to come here and play. We knew what type of game it would be. We always expect first and second balls and balls in our box.
“Apart from one moment when we slept completely, we dealt really well with the situation.”
Morison, whose team are without a win in their last three games, was pleased given the illness ravaging his squad.
He said: “I couldn’t be prouder of my players, I thought we were fantastic.
“We went toe-to-toe with the best team in the league and we limited them to the least amount of shots they have managed this season.” CARDIFF CITY: Smithies 6; Ng 6, Flint 5, McGuinness 6; Drameh 6, Vaulks 6 (Wintle 76, 5), Doyle 7, Ralls 6, Doughty 6 (Bagan 67, 7); Collins 5, Colwill 5 (Davies 57, 6).
Subs not used: Phillips, Denham, Bagan, King, Hugill.
FULHAM: Rodak 6; Williams 7 (Tete 79, 6), Adarabioyo 6, Ream 8, Bryan 7; Chalobah 7, Reed 7 (Onomah 76, 6); DeCordova-Reid 5 (Cavaleiro 85, 5), Carvalho 6, Wilson 7; Mitrovic 7.
Subs not used: Gazzaniga, Hector, Seri, Muniz.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Tim Ream. Solid, calm and dependable at the back and his influence spread. REFEREE: Leigh Doughty 7.