Leeds United 1-1 Brighton and Hove Albion: Super sub Pascal Struijk snatches precious point in Premier League relegation scrap - YEP 15/5/22

Leeds United jumped out of the drop zone with a 1-1 draw against Brighton and Hove Albion at a sun-soaked Elland Road on Sunday afternoon.

By Flora Snelson

The Whites could yet be relegated from the Premier League but Pascal Struijk stepped off the bench to supply a well-needed dose of joy to the Elland Road faithful in the final home game of the season.

LS11 was drenched in relief as the Dutchman's stoppage-time header cancelled Danny Wellbeck's first-half strike to earn United a point to give them the advantage over Burnley in the fight to survive relegation from the top flight.

After their bottom-of-the-table rivals lost their game in hand to Tottenham Hotspur in the lunchtime kick-off, the way was paved for Leeds to climb above the dreaded dotted line and set a result for the Clarets to match in their upcoming midweek visit to Aston Villa.

Rising Whites star Joe Gelhardt, who has stepped off the bench to rescue points for Leeds several times this season, was brought into the starting eleven by United boss Jesse Marsch to replace the suspended Dan James. Junior Firpo and Mateusz Klich were also handed a starting spot, with young Lewis Bate and Struijk making way.

The young striker almost gave Leeds the dream start but Whites skipper Liam Cooper was blocking the goalmouth when Gelhardt found the target from close range after Jack Harrison won United a corner inside two minutes.

Leeds' bright opening soon faded though, and Brighton began to carve Leeds open with alarming ease, though Illan Meslier came through the first ten minutes of the game with his clean sheet still intact for the first time in three matches.

Solly March gave Leeds a huge let-off in the 13th minute, dragging his shot wide after Leandro Trossard found him in acres of space with just Meslier to beat.

But the hosts could only ride their luck for so long. In just a few moments after Rodrigo's hesitation put paid to a promising Leeds attack, Brighton had worked the ball to the feet of Danny Welbeck. Played through by Yves Bissouma, the former Manchester United man's twisting and turning confounded Diego Llorente who watched from the floor as Welbeck chipped Meslier to give the Seagulls the lead.

A well-timed challenge by Robin Koch prevented Trossard from doubling Brighton's lead after the winger was too easily sent clean through on goal.

An acrobatic save by the visiting 'keeper Robert Sánchez denied Leeds an equaliser, with Mateusz Klich's curling effort giving the hosts a glimmer of promise before Jesse Marsch's men went in at the break trailing by one goal.

Leeds started the second half on a strong footing. Of a string of half-chances , which settled the nerves of the crowd who began to roar encouragement for their team after a quiet first half, Rodrigo came the closest to drawing United level but his clever flick from Raphinha's cross was deflected wide of its target.

Raphinha twice came agonisingly close to rewarding the faith of the crowd, but watched Sánchez tip his beautiful free kick clear before sliding the ball wide of the target from a tempting through ball by Rodrigo.

Calls of Marcelo Bielsa and 'sack the board' rang out across the ground as Leeds' chances to score dwindled as the second half progressed, with Welbeck offering the Elland Road faithful a shred of joy by heading wide when presented with a simple opportunity to seal the result in the 85th minute.

Raphinha's failure to clear the first man from an injury-time corner with one of Leeds' final rolls of the dice looked set to sum up a frustrating afternoon before Leeds United found yet another late breakthrough to potentially change the course of the club's future.

In the second minute of added time, Gelhardt wriggled away from a challenge to chip the ball toward the back post where substitute Pascal Struijk jumped to head the ball home to the sheer delight of the home crowd.

Seagulls substitute Tariq Lamptey almost spoiled the party with the final kick of the game but Elland Road breathed a collective sigh of relief when the wideman's shot rolled the wrong side of the post just moment's before referee Mike Dean brought the game to a close.