Brentford and Fulham play out derby stalemate

LONDON : Fulham substitute Raul Jimenez missed a golden chance to settle Saturday’s West London derby in his side’s favour but they drew 0-0 at Brentford in a Premier League game of missed chances.

Jimenez had been on the field for nine minutes when set up by Adama Traore’s cross but, despite having time and space, he sent his 73rd-minute effort sailing over the crossbar.

It was the clearest opportunity of the game for Fulham, who started the match three places and eight points ahead of their London rivals in the standings.

The first chance also fell to Fulham, with Alex Iwobi clipping the post inside the opening 10 minutes but it was the hosts who had the better of the first-half exchanges.

Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo, set free on the counter-attack by Ivan Toney in the 13th minute, struck the crossbar with a deflected effort, the rebound falling to Keane Lewis-Potter, who struck a feeble effort straight at Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno.

Lewis-Potter had a more difficult opportunity two minutes before halftime after Nathan Collins picked him out with a long-range diagonal pass, cutting in from the wing and trying to lob the goalkeeper but Fulham’s Issa Diop cleared away for a corner.

Brentford, 16th in the table but whose Premier League status for a fourth successive season was confirmed last weekend, thought they had won a penalty when Yoane Wissa was bundled down in the Fulham box but referee Graham Scott waved play on.

Both teams have two league matches left this season.

(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Ed Osmond)