This archive report was first published on 31 July 2020.
Fulham secured a spot in the Championship playoff final with a 3-2 aggregate victory over Cardiff, despite losing the second leg 2-1 at Craven Cottage on July 31, 2020.
Cardiff's Curtis Nelson and Lee Tomlin scored in the second half to give the visitors a 2-1 lead, but Fulham's 2-0 first-leg advantage proved too much to overcome.
Needing to create history by overturning a two-goal deficit, Cardiff thought they had made the ideal start when Nelson headed in Joe Ralls' corner, but just 24 seconds later, Fulham's Neeskens Kebano levelled the score with a right-footed shot ahead of Cardiff's Leandro Bacuna.
Fulham continued to test Cardiff's Alex Smithies in the first half, but good saves from Cyrus Christie and Anthony Knockaert efforts kept the scoreline level.
Despite a nervy second half, Fulham's 2-0 lead from the first leg proved decisive, and they will now face Brentford in the Championship playoff final on August 4, 2020.
The all-west London final will see two teams with counter-attacking styles of play, which produced goals aplenty in the regular season, face off in what promises to be an attractive final.
