Brentford's Missed Opportunity in Goalless Derby Against Fulham
Wasteful Brentford missed a chance to climb into the top six as they were held to a goalless draw by west London neighbours Fulham. A drab derby ended in stalemate after Bees top scorer Igor Thiago hit the goal frame, Keane Lewis-Potter blazed a glorious chance over, and Bernd Leno made a stunning last-minute save from Dango Ouattara. This match marked a fifth straight draw for Brentford, keeping them in the European shake-up, while also ending a run of three consecutive defeats by their rivals from along the Thames. It served as a reminder of happier times for former Bees boss Thomas Frank, who visited his old club for the first time since he was sacked by Tottenham in February. Fulham also finds themselves in the European mix, but slow starts have cost them too often this season. They almost fell behind in the 10th minute when Mathias Jensen crossed for Thiago, whose header grazed a post. Moments later, Thiago turned Calvin Bassey in the penalty area, but Joachim Andersen slid in to block his shot. Fulham should have taken the lead when Alex Iwobi and Tom Cairney set up Ryan Sessegnon, but he lifted his shot high over the crossbar. This was Iwobi's final contribution as he limped off feeling his hamstring shortly before half-time. In first-half stoppage time, Lewis-Potter created a glorious chance for himself but blazed over from six yards. After the break, Brentford threatened again with Ouattara drilling a shot straight at Leno, while Mikkel Damsgaard saw his ambitious volley fly just wide. Bees captain Nathan Collins almost marked his 100th appearance for the club with a goal, but his header flashed wide. As the clock ticked down, Harry Wilson escaped a booking for a wild lunge on Damsgaard. In the final minute, Ouattara hooked a low cross goalwards, but Leno's remarkable point-blank save preserved a point for the visitors.
Source: The Independent Sport - 2026-04-18