Leeds United 1 v Fulham 0 (Premier League)
Leeds United scored a late goal to end Fulham's recent good run of results at Elland Road. Leeds are now 16th in the standings with Fulham 10th.
Leeds claimed the dramatic late win thanks to a stoppage-time winner from substitute Lukas Nmecha. The match carried extra emotion, with both sets of fans and the teams paying tribute to former Leeds player and manager Terry Yorath, who had recently passed away. A minute's applause was observed before kick-off, and Yorath's daughter, Gabby Logan, was in attendance. Leeds players wore black armbands, and the occasion also included a minute's applause in the second half for a recently deceased Leeds fan, Colin Wood.
The first half was largely cagey and low on clear chances. Fulham's best opportunity came early when Raúl Jiménez headed a Harry Wilson corner wide, while Saša Lukić's late header was comfortably saved by Darlow, who replaced the dropped Brazilian keeper Lucas Perri. Leeds threatened sporadically but lacked a cutting edge, with Brenden Aaronson firing wildly over from a promising position.
Second Half
After the break, Leeds grew into the game and dominated possession, restricting Fulham - who had been on a six-match unbeaten run in the league - to minimal threats. Dominic Calvert-Lewin missed a golden chance when he turned Aaronson's cross narrowly wide at the near post, and Gudmundsson fired over from close range after good work from Okafor. Harry Wilson wasted a free-kick opportunity for Fulham and was booked for a cynical foul on Gudmundsson, which ignited the home crowd and turned Elland Road into a hostile atmosphere for the visitors.
As the match looked set to end goalless despite Leeds' pressure, substitute Lukas Nmecha (who replaced Jayden Bogle in the 81st minute) produced a moment of magic. In the first minute of stoppage time (90+1'), Ethan Ampadu delivered a precise cross, and Nmecha acrobatically finished to send the home fans into ecstasy.
The result was crucial for Leeds, securing their sixth league win of the season and keeping them eight points clear of the relegation zone in 16th place. It also extended their strong home form, remaining unbeaten in recent Elland Road outings since a 1-2 loss to Aston Villa in late November. Fulham, who created little after the interval, slipped to 10th (31 points) and saw their unbeaten streak snapped, moving them further from European contention.
Line ups
Leeds United (3-5-2)
GK: Karl Darlow; James Justin, Joe Rodon, Pascal Struijk; Jayden Bogle, Brenden Aaronson, Ethan Ampadu (c), Ilia Gruev, Gabriel Gudmundsson; Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Noah Okafor.
Substitutes: Estella Lucas Perri, Sean Longstaff, Joel Piroe, Lukas Nmecha (s 81'), Ao Tanaka (s 81'), Sebastiaan Bornauw (s 90'), Sam Byram, Degnand Gnonto (s 70'), Facundo Buonanotte
Fulham (4-2-3-1)
GK: Bernd Leno; Timothy Castagne, Joachim Andersen, Jorge Cuenca, Antonee Robinson; Saša Lukić, Sander Berge; Harry Wilson, Emile Smith Rowe, Ryan Sessegnon; Raúl Jiménez.
Substitutes: Benjamin Lecomte, Harrison Reed, Tom Cairney (s 66'), Adama Traore, Jonah Kusi-Asare (s 88'), de Macedo Kevin (s 65'), Joshua King (s 77'), Issa Diop (s 88'), Samuel Amissah
Date: January 17, 2026
Venue: Elland Road, Leeds
Attendance: 36,300
Competition: Premier League
Final Score: Leeds United 1 Fulham 0
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