Wilfried Gnonto inspires Leeds to their first Championship win of the season - Mail 26/8/23

Ipswich Town 3-4 Leeds United: Joel Piroe scores on his debut, while Wilfried Gnonto and Luis Sinisterra shine as Daniel Farke's side earn their first league win of the season

Joel Piroe scored on his Leeds debut after signing for the club earlier this week

The defeat to Leeds was Ipswich's first loss of the new Championship season

By ADAM SHERGOLD

Leeds could well have found the razor-sharp forward line to propel them back to the Premier League.

The defence most definitely requires some more work but the gloom that enveloped Elland Road following relegation has finally given way to rays of optimism as their attackers made hay.

It helps, of course, when you can spend £10million to sign Joel Piroe, a proven Championship marksman with Swansea who helped himself to a debut goal.

But Daniel Farke deserves credit for giving Wilfried Gnonto and Luis Sinisterra second chances after their refusals to play. Both repaid that by scoring here, after Georginio Rutter netted their first.

The way Leeds blew Ipswich away with three strikes in nine electric first-half minutes offered a tantalising glimpse of what might be to come if Farke can keep this front four together.

Joe Rodon’s own goal that gifted Ipswich an early lead and Cody Drameh’s weak backpass that led to Nathan Broadhead scoring their second suggested the back line needs to be Farke’s next focus despite this first league win in 13.

Kieran McKenna’s Ipswich fought hard but saw their impressive unbeaten run halted at 21 games, tumbling off the top of the table in the process. Conor Chaplin’s late third was just too late.

‘I was pleased with our offensive firepower, they showed real quality and it’s good for the mood, the confidence and the table,’ said Farke.

‘Gnonto and Sinisterra looked sharp, focused and disciplined in training. Piroe only had one training session but he knows the league inside out and he repaid my trust with a goal.

‘We can be happy, these players have suffered difficult months in the Premier League, they had to wait a long time for a league win.

‘I was never too down when we had difficult situations but I don’t want to dance on the tables tonight. You have to stay awake and not feel too comfortable.’

Ipswich started brightly and led when Rodon diverted Kayden Jackson’s drilled cross beyond his own goalkeeper.

It proved short-lived with Rutter dancing past several Ipswich defenders to fire home off the inside of the far post.

Gnonto’s redemption following his early-season tantrum was complete when he ghosted onto Sam Byram’s cross to tap home.

And Leeds fans could hardly believe it when Sinisterra’s curling shot was pushed out by Ipswich keeper Vaclav Hladky straight into Piroe’s path.

Ipswich stayed calm and were gifted a route back into the contest when Jackson intercepted Drameh’s backpass, rounded Ilian Meslier and cut back for Broadhead to force home.

They piled on the pressure after the break but Leeds grabbed a fourth when the excellent Sinisterra clipped home after latching onto Jamie Shackleton’s through ball.

Chaplin drilled home in the seventh minute but Ipswich ran out of time in this great advert for the second-tier.

‘There was a lot more good than bad, there are so many positives to take,’ said McKenna. ‘We were the better and most dominant team in so many aspects. On another day, the game could have gone differently.’