Aleksandar Mitrovic fires Fulham to ‘very important’ win at Sheffield Wednesday

Fulham manager Slavisa Jokanovic believes his team’s win at Sheffield Wednesday was a “crucial moment” in the race for promotion to the Premier League.

The Cottagers closed to just two points behind second-placed Cardiff by beating Wednesday 1-0 thanks to Aleksandar Mitrovic’s goal.

The first half was a frustrating affair, both sides having goals disallowed for offside, and the second period began in much the same vein with defences on top.

The deadlock was broken in the 78th minute through Mitrovic. Teenager Ryan Sessegnon burst into the box from the left and threaded a perfect ball across to Mitrovic who calmly slotted home his ninth goal of the season.

Wednesday rallied to make one final push for the equaliser. With the last kick of the game, Daniel Pudil pulled the ball back for Fernando Forestieri just inside the box. Meeting it first time he skied his effort.

Jokanovic said: “It’s very important. It’s a crucial moment in the Championship as we’re in the last few games.

“We try to put the team ahead of us under pressure and it’s important not to give up and keep going forward and be ready for the next step.

“We created many chances, we had 20 shots, our defensive line is working very well.

“We didn’t give Wednesday any chances to score goals. At the end of the game they had one situation which was dangerous for us.

“We’re in a good moment, we trust each other and it is a very good moment for us. It’s important for us to relax, rest and try to prepare for the match against Reading.”

Wednesday manager Jos Luhukay said: “From the result it’s disappointing, but I think in the first half we’ve come to some situations that we’ve created some chances, although coming to the last ball it was not always in the right direction.

“In the second half, no control, we were only defending, and Fulham were a lot stronger than we were, they had more chances aside from their goal, they could have scored three or four times.

“(Goalkeeper) Joe Wildsmith was the best player in our team, that says enough about our team. We lost the game against a very strong team. I have analysed Fulham, they are very intense and in the second half I see why this team is challenging for the top two positions.

“In the second half we were losing the ball and Fulham were pressing us directly and we could not come out. It was also not our strikers’ day, they couldn’t get on the ball and when they did it was not on dangerous areas.

“It was just working, fighting, defending and when we did have the ball we couldn’t play football.”