Onomah channels inner Messi for Fulham advantage

A pair of highlight reel goals from Josh Onomah and Neeskens Kebano were the two moments of magic Fulham needed to take a promising 2-0 lead in the first leg of their Championship play-off semi-final against Cardiff tonight.

Playing at home in Wales, Cardiff started the game well on top, and dominated the opening stages, with Michael Hector somehow getting to the ball ahead of Robert Glatzel to stop a certain easy tap-in and keep things level.

But after one of the new markers in this strangest of strange seasons, the first half drinks break, Fulham, missing the talismanic Alexsander Mitrovic, shifted things back in their favour, with Tom Cairney hitting the post.

And the game continued in the same vein to start the second half, before Onomah picked the ball up on the edge of the Cardiff area with three minutes played, and sent a trio of defenders packing before slotting home to score a goal fit for the Camp Nou.

And for the remainder of the second half, Fulham kept the ball as they normally do under Scott Parker, with both sides unable to create a goal scoring chance, but then, into the first minute of stoppage time, Kebano slalomed home his third free kick in as many games for a convincing first leg lead.

Fulham will go into the second leg at Craven Cottage on Thursday with plenty of confidence, but if we’ve learned anything from knockout football in recent years, it’s that first leg leads are never comfortable, especially in the play-offs.

🆚Over to the Champ’s other play-off semi, as #CardiffCity welcome #FFC to Wales with two conflicting styles of play.

Parker’s side have been accused of not using their huge possession, backed up by Harris’ boys out-scoring them this season.

Could they do the same tonight? pic.twitter.com/FewKmzaStG

— playmakerstats (@playmaker_EN) July 27, 2020