(Football news) Fulham FC managed to secure promotion back into the Premier League after an emphatic 3-0 win over Preston North End at Craven Cottage. The Cottagers could have secured their promotion last week, but lost 2-1 to Derby County, enduring their second consecutive defeat for the first time in the season.
A brace by Aleksandar Mitrovic took his tally to 40 goals for the season and the Serbian scored the opening goal in the first real chance of the game while Carvalho added the second just before half-time. Mitrovic has already surpassed Ivan Toney's Championship scoring record with 14 games to go and is only two goals behind Guy Whittingham’s 42 goal record for Portsmouth in the 1992/93 season. The result means that Fulham secured promotion with 26 wins, eight draws and just eight losses, with 98 goals to their name.
Preston could have taken the lead in the fifth minute when Cameron Archer played Ched Evans whose shot rebounded off Tosin Adarabioyo but Fulham managed to clear the ball and eliminate the threat. Two minutes later, goalkeeper Marek Rodak was tested once again and tipped Ben Whiteman's shot over the bar, keeping the score level. The hosts ended up scoring from their first chance when Joe Bryan played in Mitrovic and the Serbian shot between Daniel Iversen’s legs.
The Cottagers could have added to their lead in the 24th minute when Neeskens Kebano passed to Mitrovic whose backheel found Carvalho but the shot went wide. Fulham doubled their advantage at the 30th minute mark when a ball by Kebano deflected into the path of Carvalho whose first-time shot went into the back of the net. The hosts then scored their third goal just before halftime with Mitrovic once again on the scoresheet, getting his 40th goal clinically. The Serbian could have had a hat-trick less than five minutes into the second half and pounced on a loose ball, but an outstretched leg by Iverson denied him the goal.
Speaking after the match, Fulham head coach Marco Silva said “We deserved it. We have to be proud of what we have achieved for this football club, it was the reason we came, the reason they invited us to come and join this football club, and we did it. I am proud of the players, not just because we achieved our goal or aim from the first day. The way we did it, the way we played, the way we were really dominant for most of the season has been fantastic for us, a fantastic journey for us. Now is the moment for them to celebrate. A nice word yo-yo team, a good nickname. The challenge is definitely huge. We have to be really positive, we have to have desire and ambition. Now we celebrate and get the job done in the next four games."
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