Wolves 2-3 Leeds United: injury-ravaged Whites snatch stoppage-time win against 10-man Wolves - YEP 18/3/22

Luke Ayling's stoppage-time winner snatched a late victory for Leeds United in a highly-charged Premier League clash at Molineux on Friday evening.

By Flora Snelson

Rodrigo and Jack Harrison scored in the 63rd and 66th minute to draw Leeds level after going in at the break two goals and three injured players down.

Jonny and Francisco Trincao scored in the first half while United lost Patrick Bamford, Mateusz Klich and Diego Llorente to injury before the interval.

A coming-together between Raul Jimenez and Illan Meslier early in the second half spelled readjustment for both sides as the players were taken out of the game - Jimenez dismissed for a second yellow, while Meslier was replaced by Under 23s shot-stopper Kristoffer Klaesson as Jesse Marsch could used a fourth substitute following the removal of Klich under concussion protocols.

Ayling's stoppage time goal secured back-to-back wins for Leeds and takes the Whites seven points clear of the Premier League drop zone.

Rodrigo missed the Whites' first big chance of the game in the sixth minute. Dan James charged down the left wing and crossed the ball into the six yard box. United's number 19 met it at the front post but his effort went the wrong side of the post.

Patrick Bamford squandered the visitors' next opportunity to go ahead after the tenacious James won possession in Wolves' defensive third. Stepping into the hosts' box, Bamford got the better of Wolves' captain Conor Coady, aimed for the near post and missed.

There was disappointment for Leeds midway through the first half as Bamford pulled up after stretching for a high ball. The Whites' number nine, making his second start after a lengthy injury lay-off, was substituted off in the 22nd minute, with replacement 20-year-old Sam Greenwood handed his second Premier League appearance just hours after being named in Andy Edwards' Under 20s squad.

Wolves had injury troubles of their own, and Ruben Neves was forced off shortly after Bamford, with Francisco Trincao replacing him.

The winger made an immediate impact, storming down the right flank to cross the ball into Jonny Otto who slotted the ball past Illan Meslier to open the scoring.

Wolves had three big chances to double their lead in the first half's eight minutes of stoppage time. Trincao hitting the woodwork and Jimenez, twice gifted clear sight of goal, first ballooned the ball over the bar, then fluffed his lines altogether and struck air.

Trincao made it 2-0 on the stroke of half time, squeezing the ball between Greenwood's legs to find Meslier's bottom corner from a cutback.

Leeds' worries deepened early in the second half when a collision between Meslier and Jiminez forced the Whites' goalkeeper off to be replaced by 21-year-old Kristoffer Klaesson. The Wolves attacker, meanwhile, was dismissed for a second yellow card, leaving the hosts with ten men.

But the visitors found joy against Wolves' depleted side, and Harrison reduced the visitors' deficit in the 62nd minute, tucking home the ball after Ayling's shot struck the post.

Moments later, Rodrigo pulled the Whites level. As Wolves' defence scrambled to clear the ball after James hit the woodwork, Greenwood reclaimed the ball and laid it off for the charging Spaniard. His shot, from a very tight angle, deflected into Jose Sa's net.

Sa pulled off an acrobatic save in the 87th minute to prevent Leeds taking the lead as Harrison let fly from 20 yards following a corner. The winger crossed the ball into the box shortly after which substitute Charlie Cresswell met but his header bounced off the top of the goal.

Leeds took the lead in stoppage time through Ayling. The right-back did well to stop an overhit Leeds free-kick from going off for a goal kick then, in the scramble that followed, found himself with the ball at his feet six yards out. Ayling squeezed the ball into the net through Sa's legs.

Substitute goalkeeper Klaesson did well to protect the Whites' lead in the dying minutes, diving to prevent a long-range Hwang Hee Chan effort before palming over Trincao's shot.