Wolverhampton Wanderers 1 Leeds United 0: Second string Whites beaten by late winner in Carabao Cup - YEP 9/11/22
Leeds United lost out to Wolves in the Carabao Cup Third Round on Wednesday as Steve Davis' penultimate game in charge of the West Midlands club ended with victory
By Joe Donnohue
Leeds United were eliminated from the 2022/23 edition of the
Carabao Cup on Wednesday night as Premier League counterparts Wolverhampton
Wanderers secured passage to the Fourth Round with a late Boubacar Traore
winner.
United began the stronger of the two sides at Molineux,
dominating territory during the early portion of the game. Jesse Marsch's side
forced a succession of corners in the opening ten minutes, one of which was
almost turned goalwards by young centre-back Leo Hjelde. The Norwegian was one
of four Leeds Under-21 players named in Marsch's XI as he made ten changes from
last weekend's win over AFC Bournemouth.
Sonny Perkins, Mateo Joseph and Darko Gyabi all made their
senior debuts for the club, with Joseph and Gyabi making their professional
bows at Molineux. During the opening 45 minutes, the teenage trio coped well
with Wolves' physicality and intensity, as well as demonstrating their own
on-ball capabilities in the middle and attacking thirds.
Leeds' promising early start waned as the half wore on, but
Wolves' threat was largely handled by the back four, Gyabi and an omnipresent
Mateusz Klich. The West Midlands club were limited to efforts from range, and
debuting goalkeeper Joel Robles was not tested by the Wolves attack during the
first half.
United's youthful frontline found it tough to carve out
clear opportunities, with headline act Joe Gelhardt frequently snuffed out by
Wolves' resilient and physical defensive make-up, and was substituted shortly
after the restart having received treatment for a knock.
While Leeds' motivation could not be questioned, owing to
their fast start and the ravenous demeanour with which United's young debutants
pressed in the early exchanges, Wolves' appetite to qualify for a Fourth Round
tie due to be played two days after the conclusion of the Qatar World Cup,
appeared lacking.
That said, the home side started the second half with vim
and vigour; defender Max Kilman in particular tearing at the fabric of Leeds'
defence. He worked a shooting opportunity following a one-two inside the area
and forced Robles into his first save of the evening to keep the tie level.
The Spanish stopper was called into action once more denying
Connor Ronan with an instinctive right-handed save. Leeds were quickly away
down the other end of the pitch with 19-year-old Mateo Joseph, though, whose
attempt to chop back onto his right foot, was thwarted by Kilman, and with that
the chance of a dream debut goal.
Introductions for Sam Greenwood and Willy Gnonto yielded few
further chances for the visitors, eventually succumbing to Wolves substitute
Boubacar Traore's late strike from the edge of the penalty area. The
midfielder, who replaced his name-sake midway through the second half, was
found in acres of space by Daniel Podence and his powerful, swept finish
finally gave the game its breakthrough in the 84th minute.
Leeds' elimination means their World Cup break will now be
46 days long, between Saturday's fixture against Tottenham Hotspur and their
home game welcoming Manchester City to Elland Road on December 28.