Leeds United 1-0 Fulham Player Ratings: Nmecha Strikes Late Winner To Clinch Victory for Hosts

Leeds United secured a dramatic 1-0 win over Fulham at Elland Road in a closely contested Premier League match. The game was decided in the final moments.

Both teams struggled to create clear chances for much of the contest. The match was often disrupted by frequent stoppages and offside calls. As a result, the tempo remained low and the play lacked fluency.

Fulham had an early opportunity to take the lead. Raúl Jiménez missed a clear chance, which later proved costly. Leeds also failed to capitalize on their openings.

As the match neared full time, the intensity increased. Substitute Lukas Nmecha made a crucial impact. He scored the decisive goal late in the game to secure all three points for Leeds United.

The result was a hard-earned victory for the hosts and a disappointing outcome for Fulham. Here are Sportsdunia's

Key Takeaways

1. Raul Jimenez missed an early scoring chance for Fulham.
2. The match remained goalless for most of the game due to poor finishing.
3. Substitute Lukas Nmecha scored a late winner for Leeds United.

Leeds United Player Ratings vs Fulham

Check out Leeds United player ratings from the match against Fulham:

Goalkeeper

Karl Darlow - 6.5: Had a relatively quiet day for large parts of the game. We noticed his distribution was a bit erratic, with a low pass completion rate. He made a key save from Lukic's header in the first half. A couple of shaky moments but did his job when called upon.

Defenders

James Justin - 7.5: A constant threat down the flank. He was responsible for creating a couple of good chances, including a big one for Struijk. He took on a couple of shots himself, showing his attacking intent. Defensively, he was solid, winning most of his tackles and making important interceptions.

Joe Rodon - 6.5: A mixed bag from the central defender. He was caught out a few times and struggled in the air, losing four of his five aerial duels. However, his positioning was decent, and he made a couple of important blocks and interceptions. Not his best day, but not a disaster either.

Pascal Struijk - 6.5: Should have scored. From our perspective, his missed header was a huge moment in the match. Defensively, he was strong, making eight clearances and provoking offsides. He was a rock at the back but that missed chance really brings his rating down.

Jayden Bogle - 7.0: Provided good energy down the right before he was substituted. He created a big chance and was a reliable outlet for the team. What stood out to us was his diligence in tracking back. A solid, dependable performance.

Midfielders

Ethan Ampadu - 8.5: Absolutely brilliant. The clear man of the match and our highest-rated player. He ran the midfield with authority, providing the crucial assist for the winning goal. His four key passes show just how creative he was. A true captain's performance that dragged his team to victory.

Brenden Aaronson - 6.0: A frustrating performance to watch. He was incredibly busy and got into good positions but was so wasteful. He lost possession a staggering 20 times and was caught offside on three occasions. The effort was there, the final product was not.

Gabriel Gudmundsson - 7.0: A very tidy and efficient display. He won all of his duels and was secure in possession. He didn't offer a huge amount going forward but provided a solid base in midfield. An unsung hero on the day.

Ilia Gruev - 6.5: Kept the play ticking over nicely in the middle of the park. He was neat on the ball and worked hard for the team. He didn't create much but played his role effectively before being taken off.

Forwards

Dominic Calvert-Lewin - 6.0: It was a tough battle for the striker. He won a lot of headers but was constantly isolated and flagged for offside. He missed a big chance and just couldn't seem to get the better of Fulham's defence. A lot of effort for very little reward.

Noah Okafor - 6.5: Looked bright in flashes. He had a couple of shots on goal and tried to make things happen. However, he was largely on the periphery of the game before being substituted. A decent but unremarkable outing.

Substitutes

Lukas Nmecha - 8.0: The match-winner. He came on and did exactly what was asked of him. He provided the moment of quality that was missing all game. A clinical finish to win the points. You can't ask for more from a substitute.

Manager

D. Farke - 7.5: His team wasn't at their best, but his changes won the game. Bringing on Nmecha was a decisive move that paid off handsomely. He gets credit for finding a way to win a difficult match.

Fulham Player Ratings vs Leeds United

Let's take a look at Fulham player ratings from the Premier League game:

Goalkeeper

Bernd Leno - 7.5: We thought he was excellent. He made four saves, including a couple of really crucial ones to keep his team level. He was commanding in his box and couldn't do anything about the goal. An unfortunate loser on the day.

Defenders

Joachim Andersen - 7.0: Led the backline well. He was a dominant presence in the air, winning most of his aerial battles. The captain made a number of important clearances and kept Calvert-Lewin quiet for the most part. A strong defensive showing.

Jorge Cuenca - 6.0: Looked a bit shaky at times. His distribution was poor, especially his long balls. He made a few important clearances but also picked up a late yellow card. A mixed performance from the defender.

Timothy Castagne - 6.0: His early yellow card seemed to affect him. He played with the handbrake on after that booking. He was solid enough defensively but didn't offer his usual threat going forward. A quiet afternoon for him.

Antonee Robinson - 6.0: A bundle of energy as always, but so wasteful. He lost possession 21 times, which is simply too high. He got into good positions but his final ball was lacking. A frustrating display of unrealised potential.

Midfielders

Harry Wilson - 7.0: He was Fulham's most creative player by a distance. He created three chances and was at the heart of their best attacking moves. He faded a little as the game went on before being subbed. Fulham looked less threatening after he departed.

Sander Berge - 6.5: A powerful presence in midfield. He won an impressive number of his duels and broke up play effectively. However, he offered very little in an attacking sense. He did his defensive duties well but was limited with the ball.

Saša Lukić - 6.5: Was having a decent game before his injury. He forced a good save from Darlow with a well-timed header. His withdrawal disrupted Fulham's midfield structure. Unlucky to have his afternoon cut short.

Ryan Sessegnon - 5.0: We were so disappointed with his performance. He was completely anonymous. With only 14 touches in 65 minutes, he was a passenger. He lost possession on 8 of those occasions. A really poor showing and arguably the worst performer on the pitch.

Emile Smith Rowe - 6.5: Looked neat and tidy on the ball. He made some good tackles and interceptions, showing a willingness to work back. He didn't create enough in the final third before he too was forced off with an injury.

Forwards

Raúl Jiménez - 6.5: A real handful. He dominated in the air, winning eight aerial duels. However, his finishing let him down. He missed a glorious headed chance early on that he should have buried. His work rate was immense, but a striker is judged on goals.

Substitutes

Tom Cairney - 6.0: Came on for the injured Lukic and tried to get Fulham passing, but couldn't unlock the Leeds defence.

Manager

M. Saraiva Da Silva - 6.5: Set his team up to be solid and hard to beat, which they were for 90 minutes. Injuries didn't help his cause. In the end, his side lacked the cutting edge to turn a solid defensive performance into points.

Man of the Match

Ethan Ampadu was the player of the match for his impactful performance.

Worst Performer

Fulham's Ryan Sessegnon had an off day at home.