Sheffield Wednesday 1-2 Fulham
- Published
Neeskens Kebano has scored seven goals for Fulham this season
Neeskens Kebano's double helped Fulham come from behind to beat 10-man Sheffield Wednesday in a match between two Championship play-off contenders.
Sam Winnall had struck low to put the Owls ahead early on, but Kebano equalised when he tucked home Denis Odoi's cross.
Just before the break, Marco Matias - in his second match of the season - was shown a red for a foul on Sone Aluko.
Kebano completed the comeback, turning in Lucas Piazon's delivery.
There was an outside chance of Fulham not making the play-offs prior to kick-off, but that would have required a defeat and a huge goal difference swing with seventh-placed Leeds United.
Wednesday, certain of a top-six finish, made 10 changes for the match and one of those was Winnall, who hit his third goal for the club into the bottom corner.
Kebano brought a side that have won five of their last six matches level before Matias was given his marching orders for a dreadful challenge on Aluko.
The visitors had to wait until the 79th minute to press home their man advantage, as Piazon's cross was turned in, but the ball may have taken a final touch off Wednesday midfielder David Jones on the way in.
Slavisa Jokanovic's side now face a first leg at home to Reading next Saturday, while the Owls play Huddersfield away from home a day later.
Sheffield Wednesday manager Carlos Carvahal:
"I am happy with the way they fought at the end. This game was not important in the score line, it was important to give my players time ahead of the play-offs.
"It is our priority to try and protect players in terms of injuries and red cards for the play-offs - that is a priority. I would be a very stupid person to lose three or four players in a game that doesn't matter and not have them for the play-off semi-final.
"We will be ready, we had a fantastic season, we achieved with a good set of results - this is most important to us and now we are ready."
Fulham manager Slavisa Jokanovic:
"We won the game, we finished the regular season very well. I must be satisfied.
"I am satisfied with the result and because no-one is injured after the game so we have a clear situation in front of us.
"We have a tough game against Reading. They are the favourites - they finished behind the two automatically promoted teams."