Fulham 1-2 Cardiff (3-2 agg): Hosts hold off fightback to set up Brentford final

Fulham lost 2-1 to Cardiff in the second leg of their Championship play-off semi-final but held on to progress 3-2 on aggregate and set up a final with west London rivals Brentford.

The hosts finished eight points better off than their opponents at the end of the regular season and held a 2-0 lead from Monday’s first leg in south Wales.

No team has overturned a two-goal first-leg deficit in the play-offs but Cardiff gave themselves real hope inside eight minutes at Craven Cottage through Curtis Nelson’s close-range header.

Fulham required 54 seconds to restore their two-goal aggregate advantage, however, with Neeskens Kebano – on target late in the first leg – sweeping a low shot past Alex Smithies.

The tie took another twist 82 seconds into the second half when Lee Tomlin, introduced at half-time, volleyed in after Nathan Mendez-Laing’s header was parried by Marek Rodak.

Aboubakar Kamara had a long-ranger tipped on to the post by Alex Smithies before Cardiff asked the questions late on, though Fulham withstood the pressure and will face neighbours Brentford – 3-2 aggregate winners over Swansea City on Wednesday – at Wembley in five days.

That was not good for the blood pressure, but…

WE’RE GOING TO WEMBLEY!!! pic.twitter.com/YXyN6lf0g8

— Fulham Football Club (@FulhamFC) July 30, 2020