Leeds United 1 Southampton 2: Whites condemned to Championship play-offs as Ipswich Town seal promotion — Yorkshire Post 4/5/24
Leeds United were condemned to the Championship play-offs as they fell to a 2-1 home defeat to Southampton.
By Tom Coates
Adam Armstrong and Will Smallbone struck either side of a
Joel Piroe goal, although not even a win would have sent Leeds up
automatically. Ipswich Town cruised to a victory over Huddersfield Town, taking
the second automatic promotion slot for themselves.
As the Tractor Boys enjoyed their day in the sun, Leeds
underwhelmed in the grey and must now do battle in the end-of-season festival
of drama.
After being welcomed to the pitch by a vociferous Elland
Road crowd, Leeds immediately took the initiative as they hunted an early
opener. Wilfried Gnonto made an early dart into the box, only to slip and
handle the ball to bring the move to an abrupt end.
Southampton proved quick to bite into challenges in and
around the box, leading to some early set-piece opportunities for the hosts.
Crysencio Summerville found Joe Rodon six minutes in but the defender headed
over.
Leeds continued to apply pressure but there were chinks in
the armour when Southampton ventured forward. Pockets of space were opening up
too frequently and the Saints started threatening to exploit them.
They soon did so successfully, making the most of space
inside the Leeds box to take the lead. Che Adams sent the ball back into the
box for Armstrong, who was unmarked with Leeds bodies either camped near Illan
Meslier or out towards Che Adams.
Armstrong struck first time on his left foot, catching the
ball on the bounce and rendering Meslier helpless.
However, it was then the turn of the hosts to pounce on
defensive frailty. Sam Byram picked the pocket of a ponderous Jack Stephens,
allowing Gnonto to pick up and send a cross into the box.
The delivery was only cleared as far as Piroe, who showed a
predatory instinct to lash home and level terms. Seemingly rallied by their
defence being breached, the Saints went for the jugular and the encounter was
not level for long.
Kyle Walker-Peters chased a seemingly lost cause down the
right, keeping the ball in play and bypassing Junior Firpo. The home defence
was slow to react to the danger developing before them, enabling Smallbone to
make a run into the box from deep and finish from Walker-Peters’ cross.
There were furious protests for a Leeds penalty on the
stroke of half-time, when Georginio Rutter went down as he tussled with
Stephens. The referee dismissed appeals and anger was intensified mere seconds
later, when Byram was cleaned out by Armstrong.
No cards were given, meaning Daniel Farke cut an angry
figure as he marched down the tunnel for the break.
Hopes of a Leeds resurgence early in the second half were
extinguished as Southampton suffocated any hint of an attack from their
opponents. When the Whites needed to be sharp and ruthless, they were sluggish
and hesitant.
The cavalry arrived on the hour mark, as Archie Gray, Jaidon
Anthony and Mateo Joseph were introduced with the hope they would put a spring
in the Leeds step.
Their introductions did not spark a comeback and there were
few signs of life from Leeds in the closing stages. Summerville twisted and
turned to tee up Firpo, who saw his cross pushed away by Alex McCarthy.
Southampton sat in a low block as Leeds pressed for an
equaliser, proving difficult to circumvent. When Leeds did edge their way
towards the Ipswich goal, they appeared reluctant to pull the trigger.
After Firpo and Summerville exchanged passes in a promising
position, sarcastic shouts for Leeds to shoot began filling the Beeston air. A
late revival would have been in vain regarding the table, although the
opportunity to end with some momentum was squandered as the game petered out.
Leeds will now face Norwich City over two legs in the
semi-finals of the Championship play-offs.
