Brentford miss chance to break into top six after goalless draw with Fulham

[p]A fantastic season had put [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/brentford/xYe7DwID/"]Brentford[/a] in UEFA Champions League qualification contention with six games left to play heading into this clash, something that was far from expected when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/franke-thomas/W6VSzZCl/"]Thomas Frank[/a] was replaced by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/andrews-keith/OjJhW3k1/"]Keith Andrews[/a] as head coach last summer. [/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/fulham/69ZiU2Om/"]Fulham[/a], though, only trailed the Bees by three points ahead of kick-off as they chased a European spot themselves. [/p][p]With plenty on the line, it was perhaps unsurprising to see a cagey affair played out in the first half, with neither side creating many chances. [/p][p]The hosts were more dangerous, as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rodriguez-thiago/MmJb4MzQ/"]Igor Thiago[/a] headed wide and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ouattara-dango/GvqREHp3/"]Dango Ouattara[/a] had a shot comfortably saved before [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lewis-potter-keane/UyeRftbc/"]Keane Lewis-Potter[/a] shot over the crossbar from close range with the best opening before the break. [/p][p]At the other end, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sessegnon-ryan/WOecsPmi/"]Ryan Sessegnon[/a] fired over from a similar position as Fulham’s run without a goal in the first half of away matches extended to 10 games across all competitions.[/p][image alt="Momentum" id="a676dd1c-bd68-4c59-ba1a-c6805bdd305d" credit-line="Opta by StatsPerform" guid="1b1cc926-5783-4769-917a-c71025dba4b5" original-width="1920" original-height="1080" /][p]The second half developed in much the same way, with both sides unable to exert any sustained pressure.[/p][p]Once more, Brentford were slightly more threatening, and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/damsgaard-mikkel/WIxH5hxa/"]Mikkel Damsgaard[/a] went close to breaking the deadlock when volleying just wide from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/schade-kevin/GOPUXXvG/"]Kevin Schade[/a]’s knockdown. [/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/collins-nathan/4AmU39Qm/"]Nathan Collins[/a] was next to try his luck, yet he could only nod past the post from a corner. [/p][p]Ultimately, though, there was a distinct lack of intensity on show here, despite just four miles separating the two clubs, and nobody could argue when the points were eventually shared. [/p][p]Still, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/leno-bernd/jwRV63z0/"]Bernd Leno[/a] did produce a stunning stop late on to deny Ouattara in what was undoubtedly the stand-out moment of the encounter.[/p][p]The result means Brentford miss out on the opportunity to move above [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/chelsea/4fGZN2oK/"]Chelsea[/a] into sixth ahead of the Blues’ Saturday night clash with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/manchester-united/ppjDR086/"]Manchester United[/a], while they have now drawn five league games in a row for the first time since 1957.[/p][p]Meanwhile, Fulham remain in 12th, still in the continental conversation, but suffering from a run of five PL games without a win.[/p][p][b]Flashscore Man of the Match: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lewis-potter-keane/UyeRftbc/"]Lewis Keane-Potter[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/brentford/xYe7DwID/"]Brentford[/a])[/b][/p][image alt="Key match stats" id="0745cf80-9b5a-4259-8f56-e6d74bed4b63" credit-line="Opta by StatsPerform" guid="fc395adf-3360-4378-8469-50e8c3afadf3" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/brentford-xYe7DwID/fulham-69ZiU2Om/?mid=dxqTvmz1"][b]Catch up on the match here[/b].[/a][/p]