Fulham 1 Leeds United 0: Visitors their own worst enemy in stoppage-time defeat
Leeds United's lack of cutting edge cost them badly at Craven Cottage as they shot themselves in the foot.
The Whites were on top for 55 minutes without ever really looking like scoring, and crumbled with a Gabriel Gudmundsson own goal in the fourth minute of stoppage time after Karl Darlow had made two outstanding saves to keep Fulham at bay.
The details matter so much more in the Premier League, where shortcomings can be punished so ruthlessly. Not by Leeds in a first half of few chances.
Summer transfer, Dominic Calvert-Lewin had the best of their chances but failed to make it count.
The Sheffielder was making his first Leeds start in a surprising front three which had Brenden Aaronson to his right and Noah Okafor his left. It is hard to imagine that having been the forward line had manager Daniel Farke got the signings he wanted on deadline day.
Calvert-Lewin's aerial prowess was something Leeds wisely tried to play to, goalkeeper Darlow kicking long for him with his first touch back on Premier League football after nearly four years away.
When a corner was only half-cleared in the 17th minute, it was the the former England striker who rose to get his head on Aaronson's ball back in. But with Calvert-Lewin having to generate his own power, he could only direct his header straight at Bernd Leno.
It was the first chance of the game.
From there Leeds began to slowly get hold of the game, Anton Stach having a shot blocked after Gudmundsson got to the byline, only for his pull-back to be but out.
On the other side, Jayden Bogle shimmied pas Alex Iwobi, only to hit a shot against his former Sheffield United team-mate Sander Berge.
The half ended with a ferocious Sean Longstaff shot which clipped the crossbar.
They went route one and Calvert-Lewin flicked the ball on from out on the left. The midfielder was convinced Leno's glove had feathered the ball over, referee Craig Pawson nor.
Pascal Struijk headed a Ryan Sessegnon cross away in the closest Fulham came to threatening before the break.
Leeds followed up with two good chances as the game restarted in tipping rain before Fulham finaly began to threaten.
Aaronson stabbed a shot at Leno after a god run and pass by Stach, and Kenny Tete needed some brilliant defending to stop Okafor making the most of a Calvert-Lewin backheel.
In the 57th minute Fulham had their first shot.
It came about when Pascal Struijk was penalised for pulling Rodrigo Muniz's short, though it looked like both were at it.
Harry Wilson's curling free-kick brought a magnificent save out of Karl Darlow, diving right.
His next was more straight-forward, Muniz heading a Sander Berge cross straight at him in the 70th minute,
Emile Smith-Rowe hit a post shortly after, pouncing on a poor Bogle touch.
Fulham had now become the most likely scorers, Sasa Lukic volleying over on the turn, Adama Traore clearing the crossbar with a header on the run.
Daniel James having to be substituted only 11 minutes after coming on after appearing to strain his hamstring will do nothing to improve the visitors' potency. Before the game Farke had spoken about how Leeds needed to get the Wales winger up to peak fitness and form in the coming weeks.
Darlow's second outstanding save of the game came deep in stoppage time to turn an effort from Fulham substitute Kevin behind for a corner, but it was only delaying the inevitable.
Without any pressure on him and about 12 yards from goal, Gudmundsson's head directed the resulting corner past Darlow for a real choker of a defeat for Leeds.
Fulham: Leno; Tete, Andersen, Bassey, Sessegnon; Lukic, Berge (Cairney 84); Wilson (Traore 60), King (Smith-Rowe 60), Iwobi (Kevin 76); Muniz (Jimenez 84).
Not used: Castagne, Lecomte, Diop, Robinson.
Leeds United: Darlow; Bogle, Rodon, Struijk, Gudmundsson; Longstaff, Ampadu, Stach; Aaronson (James 77 (Gnonto 88)), Calvert-Lewin (Nmecha 68), Okafor (Harrison 68).
Not used: Bijol, Meslier, Justin, Tanaka, Gruev.
Referee: C Pawson (Sheffield).