Leeds United 1 Southampton 2: Double disappointment as Whites head for play-offs and boss return — YEP 4/5/24
Leeds went into the final day needing both a victory against Southampton and a Huddersfield win at Ipswich.
By Lee Sobot
Leeds United's quest for an immediate return to the Premier
League rests on the play-offs which Daniel Farke's Whites will approach
following back-to-back defeats after Saturday's 2-1 loss against Southampton at
Elland Road.
Leeds went into the regular season's final day sat in third
place and needing both a victory against Southampton plus a Huddersfield Town
win at second-placed Ipswich Town to finish in the division's second automatic
promotion place.
Yet instead the Whites got the total opposite, Southampton
leaving Elland Road with a 2-1 victory and Ipswich sealing automatic promotion
in style with a 2-0 win against the Terriers.
Ipswich have ultimately finished six points clear of Leeds
who will now face Farke’s former side Norwich City in the semi-finals of the
play-offs, the winners facing either Southampton or West Brom in the Wembley
final for a place in the country’s top flight.
Leeds made a decent start to Saturday’s regular season
finale and had their first attempt at goal in the fifth minute through Joe
Rodon who sent a header from a Crysencio Summerville free-kick over the bar.
Southampton then began to threaten and a spell of pressure
ended with Taylor Harwood-Bellis wastefully blasting wide from range. Leeds
were quickly back on the front foot and a powerful Ilia Gruev strike from a
corner was blocked before Georginio Rutter was hauled by Joe Aribo down to the
right hand side of the Saints box.
From the free-kick, Junior Firpo's whipped strike was tipped
over the bar by Saints keeper Alex McCarthy.
At the other end, danger looked to have been averted as Kyle
Walker-Peters slipped in Will Smallbone one-one-one from an angle only for
Illan Meslier diverted his strike wide for a corner.
Yet Southampton went ahead after Leeds failed to properly
clear the corner, Che Adams attacking down the left and sending an inviting
ball through the heart of the box towards Adam Armstrong who hammered home his
21st goal of the season with 18 minutes on the clock. Leeds looked for a quick
response and a neat pass from Gruev found Willy Gnonto whose shot as saved.
But quick press allowed Sam Byram to quickly regain
possession and a cross from Gnonto was cleared straight to Joel Piroe who
hammered home a ferocious finish just three minutes after Armstrong had fired
Saints ahead.
Leeds then went mightily close to going ahead three minutes
later as a Gruev free-kick picked out Ethan Ampadu whose header forced McCarthy
into a flying save though Ampadu was offside.
The end to end nature of the contest continued as Saints
threatened again through Ryan Manning whose shot was deflected just wide. From
the corner, Leeds were saved by goalline clearances from Gruev and then Firpo
amid a sea of Whites shirts, just as Ipswich had taken the lead against
Huddersfield through Wes Burns.
Just after the half hour mark, Gnonto and Manning were both
booked as referee Matt Donohue opted to take action over a squabble for the
ball which looked something of nothing.
Just two minutes later, Southampton were backed ahead,
Walker-Peters chasing a long ball down the right and just about keeping it in
before beating Firpo and sending in a low cross which Smallbone easily slammed
home.
Saints quickly pressed for a third as plenty of fans left
their seats for half-time but Leeds went close in the 39th minute through
Gnonto who was slipped in by Summerville and blazed an effort across goal and
just wide.
But the frame of the goal then saved Leeds a few minutes
later as a Manning free-kick picked out Harwood-Bellis whose header dropped on
to the crossbar and over.
The free-kick was awarded after a late challenge by Byram on
Adams, The tackles were starting to fly in and Jan Bednarek was then booked for
a foul on Rutter in the middle of the park.
Moments later, Rutter was denied a penalty after going down
under pressure and Armstrong then avoided a booking despite flying into Byram
and sending him into the air, the last act of a half which ended at angry
chants aimed at referee Donohue.
Saints were quickly back in the attack after the interval
and substitute Ryan Fraser went close with a curler from the edge of the box
that flew just over the bar.
Ipswich, meanwhile, had just gone 2-0 up against
Huddersfield through Omari Hutchinson, putting automatic promotion more or less
beyond doubt. Southampton's Armstrong then had the ball in the net for a second
time just before the hour mark after being played in and rounding Meslier
before slotting home but Leeds were saved by the offside flag.
As the clock hit 60 minutes, cheers greeted the arrivals of
Mateo Joseph, Archia Gray and Jaidon Anthony as Rutter, Kamara and Gnonto were
withdrawn. Leeds tried to offer a response and a Firpo cross was punched clear
by McCarthy.
Another awful decision by referee Dononue then led to Firpo
being booked as the left back protested the official's decision to award a goal
kick for what was clearly a corner.
At the other end, Saints squandered a glorious chance to go
3-1 up as a glancing header from substitute Kamaldeen Sulemana flew just wide.
McCathy was then equal to a decent attempt from Summerville at the other end,
after which Byram was substituted for Connor Roberts with 12 minutes left.
Moments later the frustration of the home crowd was clear as
Firpo and Summerville linked up neatly but with neither opting to shoot,
Southampton ultimately clearing. Thereafter, every Leeds player was greeted
with a shout of 'shoot' from their fans. Gruev then entered the book for
fouling Sulemana and was quickly substituted shortly afterwards for Joe
Gelhardt.
Saints again went close to bagging a third in the 89th
minute as a Smallbone free-kick flew just wide. More Leeds frustration followed
as Summerville smashed a free-kick into the wall, Anthony then sending the
follow up attempt wide and the contest ended with yet more yellow cards from
Donohoe for Piroe and Joe Rothwell for reactions to tackles.