Leeds United 2 Real Sociedad 1: Depleted Whites sink La Liga highflyers with bumper crowd - YEP 16/12/22

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Leeds United continued their build-up towards the resumption of the Premier League season with a 2-1 victory against La Liga highflyers Real Sociedad at Elland Road as Pascal Struijk and Rodrigo netted a goal apiece.

Lee Sobot

Whites boss Jesse Marsch welcomed back two of United's three World Cup stars as Denmark international Rasmus Kristensen and the USA's Brenden Aaronson both started. Mateusz Klich also came into the side that started last Thursday's friendly at Elche but USA international star Tyler Adams was once again not involved after his heavy involvement in Qatar.

Leeds also remained without injured octet Patrick Bamford, Luis Sinisterra, Robin Koch, Diego Llorente, Junior Firpo, Crysencio Summerville and Stuart Dallas plus Illan Meslier who has been suffering with glandular fever. But nine players missing then became ten as news filtered through that Jack Harrison, who had been named in the XI, would miss out due to experiencing a bit of tightness in the warm up and was being replaced by Willy Gnonto.

The Whites fell behind in just the tenth minute as Sociedad netted with their first real attack via a free-kick which Martin Zubimendi converted with an easy free header. But Leeds equalised with an absolute rocket from Pascal Struijk in the 15th minute. A ball into the Sociedad box was cleared but only as far as Marc Roca who cushioned the ball to Struijk who then thumped home a thumping first-time strike into the bottom right corner from the edge of the area.

Manchester City legend David Silva then missed a sitter in his bid to put Sociedad back front as he swiped at thin air from a pullback into the middle of the area and the failure to convert proved costly as Leeds bagged a winner in the second-half.

A tremendous turn and run from Gnonto was the only highlight of the early exchanges but Leeds went back ahead in the 58th minute as a through ball from substitute Joe Gelhardt was only cleared into the path of Rodrigo who coolly slotted past keeper Alejandro Remiro.

Silva then saw a shot blocked after some magic on the edge of the box, after which the dual World Cup winner was taken off. La Liga’s third-placed side Sociedad pushed forward in search of an equaliser but Leeds dug deep to record a decent victory in front of a crowd of 22,826 despite the freezing conditions at Elland Road.

Leeds United v Real Sociedad: Robles (Klaesson 46); Kristensen (Drameh 46), Ayling, Cooper (Hjelde 46), Struijk; Forshaw (Greenwood 46), Roca (Gyabi 64); Aaronson (Gelhardt 46), Gnonto (Perkins 77), Klich; Rodrigo (Joseph 64).

Attendance: 22,826.

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