Fulham denied by late Crystal Palace equaliser

Fulham
2
Crystal Palace
2
34'
Édouard
45'
Mitrovic (pen)
61'
Mitrovic
83'
Ward

Aleksandar Mitrovic scored twice but Joel Ward’s late equaliser meant Fulham had to settle for a point against Roy Hodgson’s Palace.

With one match of the season remaining, the draw moved Fulham to 52 points – one short of the club’s highest-ever Premier League total under former Whites boss Hodgson in 2009.

Hodgson, who remains a popular figure at Craven Cottage, has presided over a sharp upturn in Palace’s fortunes since returning to the south London club for a second spell in charge.


And the visitors took the lead after a slick first-half counter-attack brilliantly led by former QPR star Ebere Eze, who set up Odsonne Edouard to score.

Mitrovic equalised just before half-time with a penalty after Harry Wilson was fouled by Tyrick Mitchell.

Mitrovic missed an open goal soon after the interval after being teed up by Harrison Reed, but the striker made amends by heading home from Willian’s free-kick.

But Fulham were punished for some poor defending at a free-kick with seven minutes remaining.

They failed to clear Michael Olise’s low delivery and Ward netted at the second attempt after his first effort was saved by Bernd Leno.


Fulham: Leno; Tete, Tosin, Diop, Robinson; Reed, Palhinha, Cairney (Solomon 80); Wilson (De Cordova-Reid 80), Mitrovic, Willian.
Subs not used: Rodak, Duffy, Kebano, Cedric, Lukic, Vinicius, Harris.