Aleksandar Mitrovic double earns Fulham vital win at Championship promotion rivals Swansea

Aleksandar Mitrovic struck twice within the first-half to earn Fulham a 2-1 win over promotion rivals Swansea on Friday evening.

The Serbia striker took his tally to 23 targets in as many video games for membership and nation this season as he led his aspect to inside two factors of the Championship’s automated promotion locations.

George Byers scored a second-half header, but it surely was not sufficient to finish Swansea’s dismal dwelling run of only one win from their final seven matches on the Liberty Stadium.

Fulham’s fourth consecutive victory took them to inside a win of second-placed Leeds earlier than Saturday’s matches.

Hosts Swansea had made three modifications, with Steve Cooper bringing in Kyle Naughton, Byers and Sam Surridge for Jake Bidwell, Bersant Celina and Borja Baston following the midweek draw at Huddersfield.

Fulham got here to the Liberty Stadium on the again of a high quality run of kind that had propelled them as much as third place.

However supervisor Scott Parker was pressured right into a single enforced change as Josh Onomah got here into midfield after Bobby Reid – who netted his first Fulham purpose within the win in opposition to Derby in midweek – failed a health take a look at.

The Swans have taken simply 4 factors from a doable 21 at dwelling for the reason that begin of September however they started as in the event that they had been brimming with confidence.

Surridge someway failed to attain from 4 yards out after Andre Ayew’s audacious outdoors of the foot cross, earlier than Byers struck a submit.

However Mitrovic continued his goalscoring run to provide Fulham the lead in opposition to the run of play after 22 minutes.

Aboubakar Kamara linked with Joe Bryan’s cross to ship a side-footed shot crashing again off the crossbar, however Mitrovic adopted as much as head in.

And he was not accomplished there as Fulham punished Swansea on the break two minutes earlier than half-time.

Kristoffer Peterson’s dangerous cross deep in his personal half was intercepted by Onomah into the trail of Ivan Cavaleiro. Onomah raced into the field to get on the tip of the cross however scuffed a shot into the trail of Mitrovic, who confirmed his teammate how it’s accomplished by discovering the highest nook.

Byers gave Swansea hope with 25 minutes remaining when he headed in from Barrie McKay’s cross after his preliminary free-kick was blocked by the wall.

However the fightback fell quick as Parker’s males held on for an away win.