OWLS BROUGHT DOWN TO EARTH
Malone’s late goal salvages a point
MOST managers would be delighted to snatch a draw in injury-time but Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic expected much better from his side against Sheffield Wednesday.
The Owls took the lead after ten minutes as Fernando Forestieri – who played under Jokanovic at Watford – coolly finished after sharp play on the edge of the box.
Barry Bannan could have doubled the lead but fired over before the break as the visitors ended the half strongly.
A turgid second half burst into life late on, the Owls negotiating several goalmouth scrambles before Scott Malone rifled home in added time.
Nevertheless, Jokanovic was left disappointed that his side didn’t win after creating pressure in a frantic finale.
“We were unhappy at the end because the last five minutes I thought we could score a second goal and win the game,” Jokanovic said. “We didn’t play very well, we didn’t offer our best performance, but from another side I am very satisfied with some parts of the game.
“We made some steps in the sense of competing, we didn’t surrender at any moment.
“They played a better game, they were closer to winning the three points, but generally I’m very satisfied. If we played this game last season we would have lost 3-0.”
Forestieri clinically finished a wonderful move after Gary Hooper played in his strike partner to break the deadlock.
Fulham had two chances to draw level in two minutes after Sam Hutchinson scythed down Sone Aluko on 18 minutes.
Lucas Piazon’s drilled freekick was deflected behind by the wall and Kevin McDonald’s powerful header from the resulting corner flew well over.
Bannan could have doubled the lead running onto Hooper’s low pass, but the midfielder fired inches over the bar.
Minutes later, Stefan Johansen went down in the box after a tug by Jack Hunt, but the referee waved play on.
Neither side particularly threatened during the second half, but a Fulham double change on 75 minutes almost paid off immediately.
Scott Parker and Denis Odoi exchanged passes before the full-back’s cross nearly found fellow substitute Floyd Ayite, but he was denied by Hunt’s fantastic diving block.
But the hosts got an equaliser when Malone blasted beyond Keiren Westwood from six yards in the first minute of added time.
Ayite leapt highest to flick on a teasing cross and the ball fell to the full-back, whose emphatic finish snatched a point.
Tomas Kalas might have won the game for Fulham at the death, but got his feet tangled with the goal at his mercy.
Wednesday manager Carlos Carvalhal was left to rue a missed opportunity.
“Even in the second half we had most of the chances,” he said. “We had chances to kill the game, a second goal would have probably done it.
“We had one period where Fulham pressed a little more, we understand they’re playing at home, they’re in good shape.
“Keiren Westwood didn’t do any goalkeeping, just on crosses, but on the counter-attack we had chances.
“We penalised ourselves because we didn’t score a second goal. In football, these things happen.
“In the second half we controlled the game, we felt that we lost two points.”