Fulham Holds Brentford to Goalless Draw as Leno's Late Save Denies Bees

Fulham's Bernd Leno made a spectacular last-minute save to deny Brentford a derby win, as the two teams played out a forgettable 0-0 draw in the west London derby. The result means Brentford missed the chance to move into the top six, at least for a few hours, and are now level with sixth-placed Chelsea. The Bees had the better chances throughout, with Igor Thiago heading an early opportunity wide, while Keane Lewis-Potter scooped a golden chance over with the last kick of the half. In the second period, Mikkel Damsgaard clipped over from outside the box, before Lewis-Potter's goalbound hit Thiago from Michael Kayode's long throw. Then, in stoppage time, Dango Ouattara thought he had given the Bees a late derby win, only for Leno to tip it over the bar in spectacular fashion. Nathan Collins headed another golden chance wide from the resulting corner, leaving Brentford frustrated. Leno said after the game, 'These moments in the last minute are always the best. It was a difficult one. I wasn't even sure if the ball was in or not, but then I saw all my mates coming over to me.' Fulham had won the last three derbies between the two but failed to register a shot on target all game, with their best chance coming through Ryan Sessegnon, who blazed over a good opening in the first half. The draw leaves Fulham facing an uphill task to reach the European places, with five matches to go. Brentford, under the watchful eye of former head coach Thomas Frank, had the better chances throughout, but their lack of options was evident, with the team failing to make a substitution against Fulham. The Bees' injury list is significant, with no Vitaly Janelt, Fabio Carvalho, Antoni Milambo, and Rico Henry, raising questions about their ability to compete in Europe if they qualify.