Championship
SwanseaSwansea City1FulhamFulham2

Swansea City 1-2 Fulham: Aleksander Mitrovic double helps Fulham see off Swans

By Gareth VincentBBC Sport Wales at the Liberty Stadium
Aleksander Mitrovic
Aleksandar Mitrovic scored 12 goals in 20 games for Fulham during an initial loan spell from Newcastle United

Fulham moved to within two points of the automatic promotion places as Aleksandar Mitrovic's double gave them victory at Swansea City.

Scott Parker's team claimed a fourth successive Championship win but they were made to work for it by a spirited Swansea side.

Mitrovic, the Championship's leading scorer, took his club tally this season to 15 goals thanks to two first-half strikes.

The powerful Serb headed his team in front on 22 minutes and then doubled their advantage with a cool finish shortly before half-time.

Swansea were unfortunate to be two goals down having been the better side for long periods, and they deservedly got back into the game through George Byers' 65th-minute header.

But Fulham, who are third in the table, held on to close the gap on second-placed Leeds, while Swansea remain sixth.

The Swans are the only side in all three divisions of the EFL who are yet to lose an away league game this season - but they have found points hard to come by on their own patch in recent times.

Having not lost a home league game between December 2018 and September 2019, they have now won just one of their past seven second-tier outings in south Wales.

Yet Fulham were under pressure in the early stages as Swansea began with purpose.

A flowing Swansea move ended with Andre Ayew crossing for Sam Surridge, but his effort was saved at point-blank range by Marek Rodak.

Fulham's goalkeeper was in action again seconds later, pushing away Kyle Naughton's curling shot, before Rodak's sliced clearance almost led to a spectacular Swansea opener.

Matt Grimes did well to volley the ball into Byers' path and his long-range drive hit the outside of the post.

Kristoffer Peterson then fizzed a shot over, but it was Fulham who found a path to goal in their first notable attack.

When Aboubakar Kamara volleyed Joe Bryan's inviting cross on to the crossbar, the rebound fell perfectly for Mitrovic to head home.

Swansea tried to respond, with Byers forcing another smart save from Rodak before Ayew's overhead kick flew straight into the Slovakian's arms.

Having soaked up the pressure, Fulham showed their clinical streak once more to make it 2-0.

Peterson was at fault, the Swansea winger gifting possession to Josh Onomah deep in his own half.

He fed Ivan Cavaleiro, whose return pass was missed by Onomah but rolled into the path of Mitrovic.

The former Newcastle frontman gobbled up his second opportunity of the night, lifting a shot beyond Freddie Woodman and into the roof of the net.

Fulham were first to threaten in the second period as Cavaleiro's shot was well saved, then Rodak leapt to his left to repel another effort from the lively Byers.

The Swansea midfielder eventually got his reward for an all-action display from substitute Barrie McKay's cross, with Rodak finally beaten as he palmed Byers' header into the net.

Buoyed by the goal, Swansea pushed for an equaliser with Byers threatening once again, but Fulham stood firm to maintain their impressive form.

Swansea head coach Steve Cooper said: "We know where we are at as a club. We came up against a team who could compete in the Premier League - certainly the investment that has gone into their squad is a Premier League budget - and we made them look ordinary on so many occasions.

"But we have not taken the chances and given away, particularly the second goal, a poor goal.

"It's a frustrating night, no doubt about that. I thought it was our best performance for a while and that's why we are frustrated not to get a draw."

Fulham manager Scott Parker said: "They started the game pretty strongly and we had our keeper to thank in the first 10 minutes where he pulled off a couple of good saves.

"But I felt from those early scares we dominated the game and controlled the game, we put the ball in the right areas and got our nose in front.

"In the second half I felt we were the only team who were going to score and then the goal comes from nothing from Swansea, from that moment we decided to see the game out and we did that very well, which pleases me a lot."

Line-ups

Swansea

Formation 4-2-3-1

  • 27Woodman
  • 23Roberts
  • 20Wilmot
  • 5van der Hoorn
  • 26Naughton
  • 6FultonSubstituted forCarrollat 74'minutes
  • 8Grimes
  • 22A Ayew
  • 28Byers
  • 11PetersonSubstituted forMcKayat 58'minutes
  • 19SurridgeSubstituted forBastónat 84'minutes

Substitutes

  • 1Nordfeldt
  • 7McKay
  • 9Bastón
  • 10Celina
  • 14Carroll
  • 24Bidwell
  • 44Cabango

Fulham

Formation 4-2-3-1

  • 12Rodák
  • 4Odoi
  • 5Mawson
  • 13Ream
  • 23Bryan
  • 8Johansen
  • 10Cairney
  • 47KamaraBooked at 32minsSubstituted forMcDonaldat 74'minutes
  • 25OnomahSubstituted forChristieat 79'minutes
  • 19CavaleiroSubstituted forKnockaertat 85'minutes
  • 9Mitrovic

Substitutes

  • 1Bettinelli
  • 6McDonald
  • 7Kebano
  • 22Christie
  • 24Knockaert
  • 33O'Riley
  • 36De La Torre
Referee:
Simon Hooper
Attendance:
16,024

Match Stats

Home TeamSwanseaAway TeamFulham
Possession
Home47%
Away53%
Shots
Home18
Away10
Shots on Target
Home7
Away4
Corners
Home6
Away0
Fouls
Home12
Away18

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Swansea City 1, Fulham 2.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Swansea City 1, Fulham 2.

  3. Post update

    Foul by Aleksandar Mitrovic (Fulham).

  4. Post update

    Connor Roberts (Swansea City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  5. Post update

    Joe Bryan (Fulham) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  6. Post update

    Foul by André Ayew (Swansea City).

  7. Post update

    Aleksandar Mitrovic (Fulham) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

  8. Post update

    Foul by Ben Wilmot (Swansea City).

  9. Substitution

    Substitution, Fulham. Anthony Knockaert replaces Ivan Cavaleiro.

  10. Post update

    Attempt missed. André Ayew (Swansea City) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by George Byers with a cross.

  11. Substitution

    Substitution, Swansea City. Borja Bastón replaces Sam Surridge.

  12. Post update

    Attempt missed. Tom Carroll (Swansea City) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Connor Roberts.

  13. Post update

    Foul by Ivan Cavaleiro (Fulham).

  14. Post update

    Connor Roberts (Swansea City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  15. Substitution

    Substitution, Fulham. Cyrus Christie replaces Josh Onomah.

  16. Post update

    Corner, Swansea City. Conceded by Kevin McDonald.

  17. Substitution

    Substitution, Swansea City. Tom Carroll replaces Jay Fulton.

  18. Substitution

    Substitution, Fulham. Kevin McDonald replaces Aboubakar Kamara.

  19. Post update

    Offside, Fulham. Stefan Johansen tries a through ball, but Josh Onomah is caught offside.

  20. Post update

    Corner, Swansea City. Conceded by Denis Odoi.

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Scores, Results & Fixtures

Friday 29th November 2019

As It Stood

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1West Brom18116135191639
2Leeds18114324101437
3Fulham19105431191235
4Nottm Forest1795324131132
5Preston189453122931
6Swansea198652420430
7Bristol City187832625129
8Brentford188372214827
9Hull187562923626
10Sheff Wed187562317626
11Cardiff186752625125
12Millwall186752224-225
13Blackburn187382426-224
14Derby186661924-524
15Birmingham187381823-524
16QPR187382736-924
17Charlton186572523223
18Reading175391922-318
19Huddersfield184682026-618
20Middlesbrough183871623-717
21Luton1852112533-817
22Wigan1844101628-1216
23Stoke1842121931-1214
24Barnsley1816111837-199
View full Championship table