London — Leeds United endured a frustrating afternoon at Craven Cottage, falling 2–1 to Fulham after a stoppage-time own goal from Gabriel Gudmundsson sealed their defeat.
The Swedish defender, who had otherwise delivered a composed display, headed a Fulham corner into his own net in the 94th minute, turning a hard-earned draw into heartbreak for Daniel Farke’s side.
Gudmundsson was visibly distraught at full-time, walking straight over to the travelling Leeds fans to apologise for the mistake. Manager Daniel Farke was quick to shield his player from criticism, describing the moment as “unlucky” and insisting Gudmundsson had been “brilliant for 94 minutes.”
“It was one of those one-in-10,000 moments. Gabriel deserves a hug, not blame,” Farke said. “His work with the ball was excellent. He’ll be important for us.”
Okafor’s False Start
Meanwhile, summer signing Noah Okafor continues to face scrutiny as he adjusts to life at Elland Road. The £18m forward, brought in from AC Milan to add cutting edge, has so far struggled with fitness setbacks and limited minutes.
His full debut in the Carabao Cup against Sheffield Wednesday was met with mixed reviews. Despite flashes of creativity, a weak shot on goal was mocked by pundits as evidence that the Swiss international has not yet found his rhythm.
Farke, however, urged patience, saying Okafor needs “time and sharpness” after an interrupted pre-season.
“Noah is a top player,” Farke stressed. “He’ll grow into this team. We need to give him confidence, not pressure.”
Missed Opportunities
For Leeds, the “moments missed” narrative has become a theme:
- Gudmundsson’s late own goal robbed the Whites of a valuable away point.
- Okafor’s lack of early impact highlights the need for greater attacking potency in tight matches.
- With just one win in their opening Premier League fixtures, Leeds are searching for consistency to match their summer recruitment.
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