Fulham 0-0 Leeds (5-6 on pens): Marcelo Bielsa reaches fourth round of Carabao Cup for the first time - Mail Online 21/9/21
Leeds United beat Championship side Fulham on penalties on Tuesday evening
They went head-to-head in their Carabao Cup Third Round tie
at Craven Cottage
Neither side were break able to break the deadlock in the
game as it ended 0-0
However, it was Marcelo Bielsa's side that emerged
victorious on penalties
Illan Meslier was the hero for Leeds, while Rodrigo Muniz
was not for Fulham
By ADRIAN KAJUMBA
Wins have been hard to come by for Leeds this season.
So one, even against Championship opposition with priorities
elsewhere and on penalties, is not to be sniffed at.
Marcelo Bielsa named a strong side, perhaps an indication of
Leeds’ need for a result, and they eventually edged out Fulham though only
after spot-kicks.
Illan Meslier was the hero for Leeds, whose only win in 90
minutes this season came in round two, earning them a place in round four by
saving Rodrigo Muniz’s sudden death penalty.
"This Barça is not the Barça of 8 years ago" -
Koeman
In a game of spurned chances from both sides and two misses
apiece in their first five penalties, it felt almost inevitable that Muniz, one
the biggest culprits in regulation time, was going to fluff his lines.
Fulham made 11 changes to Leeds’s four but the
Championship’s second-placed side initially looked the more cohesive unit.
Kalvin Phillps’s deployment at centre-back was one
indication of Carabao Cup experimentation by Marcelo Bielsa and he endured an
uncomfortable first half, though better second, away from his usual midfield
role.
Muniz, on his full Fulham debut, escaped Phillips with his
movement to head over and later test Meslier with a thumping drive.
In between the Fulham striker also got the better of
Phillips to square for Domingos Quina whose shot was blocked.
After a misplaced pass and swapping sides, Phillips then
gave away a free-kick which Neeskens Kebano hit, forcing Illan Meslier into a
scrambling save.
Like his Fulham namesake, Leeds’ Rodrigo Moreno had chances
for the visitors but badly scuffed two presentable openings while Tyler Roberts
was also denied by Marek Rodak.
Moreno’s frustration continued in the second half when he
took too long to get a shot off after being put through by Daniel James,
allowing Michael Hector to rescue Fulham with a perfectly-timed last-ditch
tackle.
Then it was Muniz’s off target once more but only just with
a header that grazed the top of the net before Josh Onomah extended Meslier
from distance.
Meslier could only watch as Muniz climbed highest to reach
Bobby Decordova-Reid’s cross and was relieved to see the his header sail over.
Into injury time the two Rodrigo’s both missed further
chances at either end and Tosin Adaraibioyo flew in to block Junior Firpo
before penalties were required to separate the sides.
