Ryan Sessegnon and Denis Odoi send Fulham into Championship play-off final at Derby’s expense
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ByEurosport
Updated 14/05/2018 at 21:18 GMT
Championship play-off semi-final second leg – Craven Cottage – Fulham 2 (Sessegnon 47, Odoi 66) Derby County 0 (Fulham win 2-1 on aggregate)
Ryan Sessegnon of Fulham celebrates with team mate Stefan Johansen after scoring his sides first goal during the Sky Bet Championship Play Off Semi Final
Image credit: Getty Images
Fulham advanced to the Championship play-off final after a 2-0 victory at Craven Cottage secured a 2-1 aggregate win over Derby.
Following a goalless first half, Ryan Sessegnon drew Fulham level on aggregate after smashing a close-range effort into the roof of the net.
Denis Odoi’s superb 66th-minute header proved to be the winning goal, with Fulham – who finished third in the table – now one game away from a return to the Premier League.
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Ryan Sessegnon of Fulham celebrates
Image credit: Getty Images
Needing to overturn a one-goal deficit from the first-leg, the Cottagers unsurprisingly started the contest on the front foot, but somehow Derby survived an onslaught in the opening-half.
The visitors had mainly Scott Carson to thank as the experienced goalkeeper produced a number of important stops to maintain their advantage, including an outstanding one-handed save to deny Aleksandar Mitrovic at point-blank range.
But six minutes after the restart Fulham finally struck the tie's leveller. Sessegnon, so often the saviour for his club, was in the right place at the right time to finish from close range.
And midway through the second period the hosts edged in front - and from the most unlikeliest of sources. Odoi, one of the smallest players on the pitch, glanced in from a corner delivery at the near post to give the hosts a deserved lead.
Derby responded with some urgency but couldn't find the goal which would have brought the game to extra-time. Their 10-year wait for a return to the Premier League continues.
Fulham - who had never previously won a play-off match before - now have a trip to Wembley to contest on May 26 when they will meet the winner of Aston Villa and Middlesbrough.
Villa hold a 1-0 advantage over Boro going into Tuesday’s return leg at Villa Park.
TALKING POINT
Cottagers seal a trip to Wembley, and must be favourites to win promotion: Fulham have been the team to watch in terms of exciting football in the Championship this season and they produced another exhilarating attacking display to come from behind to put Derby to the sword.
They were desperately unfortunate not to seal automatic promotion, but Slavisa Jokanovic refused to allow his side to give up on returning to the top-flight for the first time since 2014. After two below-par performances, Fulham were back to their free-scoring best and now be must be confident of winning at Wembley, no matter who their opponent is.
MAN OF THE MATCH
He isn't 18 until Friday, but Ryan Sessegnon delivered the goods with yet another performance beyond his tender age. Reports of an England call-up had the potential to unsettle the youngster, but obviously his priority is the play-offs and now he has the perfect chance to celebrate his birthday month with a promotion to the Premier League.
PLAYER RATINGS
Fulham: Bettinelli 6, Fredericks 7, Odoi 8, Ream 7, Targett 7, McDonald 7, Cairney 7, Johansen 7, Kamara 7, Sessegnon 9, Mitrovic 8. Subs: Norwood N/A, , Kalas 5.
Derby: Carson 8, Wisdom 6, Keogh 7, Davies 7, Forsyth 6, Anya 5, Huddlestone 6, Johnson 6, Weimann 6, Lawrence 6, Jerome 6. Subs: Palmer 5, Vydra 5, Nugent 5.
KEY MOMENTS
8' - SAVE! Fulham's lightening-quick counter-attack almost results in the equaliser! Kamara's perfectly-weighted pass finds Sessegnon, but the youngster gets the ball stuck under his feet. He eventually gets the shot away inside the box, but Carson makes a top-drawer save.
36' - FULHAM CHANCE! Mitrovic is fed on the edge of the area, a drop of the shoulder allows him space but he rifles a venomous left-footed shot agonisingly wide of Carson's post.
44' - ANOTHER FULHAM CHANCE! This should be the moment... Mitrovic rises highest to meet an inch-perfect cross, but from point-black range the Fulham forward heads straight at Carson. Is it going to be Derby's night?
47' - GOAL! Fulham 1-0 Derby (1-1 on aggregate): Sessegnon, the teenage sensation, grabs the crucial opener for Fulham! It's game on now! Targett's cross is knocked down into the feet of Sessegnon and the 17-year-old smashes it into the roof of the net.
66' - GOAL! Fulham 2-0 Derby (2-1 on aggregate): Odoi, one of the smallest players on the pitch, heads the Cottagers in front in the tie! The Fulham defender meets a corner delivery at the near post and he glances it into the top corner.
KEY STATS
- Fulham recorded their first ever win in the Football League play-offs, having drawn two and lost five of their previous seven games.
- The last second-tier team to win the play-offs after a semi-final first leg defeat was Bolton Wanderers, who overturned a 2-1 defeat against Wolves in 1995 (3-2 on aggregate), before beating Reading in the final.
- Ryan Sessegnon is the first 17-year old to score in an EFL play-off game since Max Clayton scored for Crewe Alexandra in May 2012.
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