Leeds United 3 Leicester City 1: Youngster and subs turn incredible Elland Road thriller — YEP 23/2/24
Leeds United took on Championship leaders Leicester City under the Elland Road lights knowing a victory would slash the gap at the top down to six points.
By Lee Sobot
Leeds United produced a stunning comeback to make it nine
Championship wins in a row and condemn leaders Leicester City to a 3-1 defeat
in a Friday night thriller at Elland Road.
Enzo Maresca's table-toppers went ahead in the 15th minute
as Wout Faes applied a simple headed finish from a corner and the Foxes took a
1-0 lead into the break. Leicester then created a host of chances as they
looked for a second goal but a combination of wayward finishing and solid
goalkeeping from Illan Meslier ensured that they remained only one goal to the
good.
Instead, Leeds drew level in the 80th minute as January
recruit and second-half substitute Connor Roberts suddenly steered home a
composed finish into the bottom left corner after Georginio Rutter broke into
the box.
Elland Road went wild but that was nothing compared to the
scenes just two minutes later as 17-year-old star Archie Gray unleashed a low
drive which took two deflections en route to putting Daniel Farke's side ahead.
Leicester were given five minutes of added time to respond
but instead Leeds bagged a third in the 94th minute through second-half
substitute Patrick Bamford who got the final touch to a Dan James free-kick
awarded for a foul on Rutter on the edge of the box.
The incredible victory made it nine league wins on the spin
for Leeds who have now closed the gap to Leicester to just six points and also
sit three points clear in the Championship's second automatic promotion place,
albeit having played one game more.
In a cauldron of Elland Road noise, Leicester fired in the
game's first attempt in the fourth minute but Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall's low drive
from the edge of the box was put wide.
Back came Leeds and Willy Gnonto's flick set up Joel Piroe
who hammered an effort over the bar from just inside the box. After an Ilia
Gruev foul had given Leicester a free-kick, Abdul Fatawu's attempt was blazed
over on the follow-up after Leeds had cleared their lines.
Another low shot from Harry Winks from range then trickled
well wide before a James Justin cross picked out Ricardo Pereira whose weak
header was too close to Illan Meslier who saved.
Only a fine save from Meslier then denied Patson Daka in the
15th minute, Daka letting fly with a rising shot from the edge of the area that
Meslier tipped over the bar.
But Leicester were on top and the Foxes went ahead from the
subsequent corner which was flicked on by Daka to Wout Faes who was able to
apply a simple headed finish from close range at the far right post.
Leeds immediately had a chance to level as a fine cross from
Gnonto picked out Piroe who sent his header from the left side of the box well
wide of the opposite post.
But an even bigger chance was wasted a few minutes later as
a brilliant pass from Piroe played in Gnonto who tried to turn inside and
finish but overran the ball and saw his weak attempt blocked.
In similar fashion, Georginio Rutter poked a ball through
for Summerville but he too was blocked off in the box via an excellent tackle
from Jannik Vestergaard as he looked to finish.
Despite the high tempo, the game's next attempt did not
arrive until the 40th minute when Summerville skied one over the bar from the
edge of the area and Leicester entered the interval a goal to the good after
Joe Rodon was booked for a late challenge in stoppage time.
There were no changes at the break, after which Junior Firpo
was robbed by Fatawu near the halfway line but Fatawu's lob from distance
sailed over the bar. Lees then piled forwards after a Glen Kamara interception
but a promising move ended with Rutter firing over the bar.
Ethan Ampadu was then booked for catching Daka with a late
challenge as the Whites struggled to get going before Firpo slipped and lost
the ball again but Fatawu's shot was blocked by Ampadu.
Leicester were looking likely to bag a second and Pereira
was inches away from connecting to a cross from the left. Another excellent
save from Meslier then saved, the Frenchman showing a strong hand to send
Mavididi's drive from inside the box wide.
The frame of the goal then saved Leeds from a Foxes corner
as Vestergaard's header bounced back off the post. Daka netted on the rebound
but was offside.
In what was becoming a Foxes onslaught, Mavididi was then
denied by another Meslier save and Mavididi then squandered a glorious chance
when played in one on one by Dewsbury-Hall only to slide his shot the wrong
side of the post.
Whites boss Daniel Farke called for a double change just
after the hour mark as Patrick Bamford returned from injury to replace Joel
Piroe as Dan James also swapped with Gnonto.
Leeds finally threatened as Summerville was found in a
crowded box but two attempts from the Dutch winger were blocked. After a neat
turn, Bamford's shot was then straight at keeper Mads Hermansen as the noise
increased inside Elland Road with the Whites' response.
At the other end, Leicester then missed another sitter as
Daka fired wide with the goal gaping after Pereira's lay-off. A third Whites
change followed as Connor Roberts replaced Firpo with 17 minutes left and
Kamara was then booked for taking down Fatawu as the Foxes continued the push
for a second.
But Elland Road then erupted in the 81st minute as Leeds
drew level through Roberts who steered home a low shot into the bottom left
corner after Rutter had skipped past Vestergaard into the box.
With seven minutes left, Leicester were suddenly on the
ropes and Elland Road then went bonkers just a minute later as 17-year-old
Gray's first goal for the club sensationally put the Whites 2-1 up.
As Leeds poured forwards, Rutter played a calm square ball
to Gray in space on the edge of the box and the teen jinked to the left before
unleashing a low drive which took a deflection before beating Hermansen to
spark wild scenes inside LS11. With Leeds suddenly heading for all three
points, keeper Meslier was booked for time wasting.
