Leeds United duo sit out behind-closed-doors Germany friendly as Whites defeat Hannover 96 — YEP 24/7/24

By Graham Smyth

Leeds United have been in action in Germany as part of their pre-season preparations

Leeds United eased to a comfortable 4-1 victory over Hannover in the opening friendly of their training camp in Germany on Wednesday.

Daniel Farke's men bossed the majority of the fixture and made their superiority count through two goals from second half substitute Mateo Joseph, as well as first half goals from Ilia Gruev and Joel Piroe.

The returning Brenden Aaronson began on the left, with Willy Gnonto on the right and Georginio Rutter at 10, behind Piroe in the first half.

Leeds dominated possession early on, switching the ball left and right but not getting behind the Hannover backline. It took four minutes for the Whites, in their brand new yellow away kit, to threaten to really penetrate with a one-touch passing move that began deep in their own box. After five minutes, Ethan Ampadu's line-breaking pass set Brenden Aaronson on a run and a cut inside before a shot that Leo Winkauf palmed wide.

And in the seventh minute they led. Aaronson slipped the ball to Ilia Gruev, the Bulgarian darted into the area, went round the keeper and cut the ball back into the net.

It could have been two before the quarter hour mark with Joe Rodon slipping away from a challenge and finding Gnonto, who linked up with Rutter, got the ball back and whipped in a cross that both Piroe and Aaronson threw themselves at without the necessary touch. Seconds later Leeds cut through the Germans on the opposite flank, led by Junior Firpo whose cut-back was gathered by Weinkauf.

The game's first corner came from yet another chance for a second as Rutter played Gnonto into space and he ran in on the keeper, who denied him at the near post.

Midway through the half Leeds did extend their lead as Piroe blasted home after another slick attacking move. Gruev was involved again, nicking the ball in a challenge high up the pitch and forcing it to Rutter whose first-time ball inside allowed Piroe to set himself and give the keeper no chance.

It took Hannover 34 minutes to fashion a chance but when it came it was a good one, the ball worked to the right and then back into the box where Nicolo Tresoldi blasted over Karl Darlow's goal.

Hannover's best spell of the game failed to give Darlow a save to make but Leeds did have a couple of moments of defending to do, including a corner that they dealt with before breaking out and threatening again themselves, Aaronson curling high over the bar.

Six minutes into the second half, with five changes at the interval, Leeds took full control with their third. Piroe found Crysencio Summerville, he slipped it behind the back line and fellow replacement Mateo Joseph's shot had too much on it for Weinkauf.

Hannover, to their credit, responded well and Illan Meslier had to get down well to save after a goalmouth scramble and on 62 minutes capitalised on some sloppiness at the back to pull one back. Struijk's pass back to Meslier was careless, the keeper came under a heavy challenge and then the ball fell to Lars Gindorf who pinged it hard into the net.

Farke made a further quartet of changes and Leeds had an opportunity to restore their lead from a corner that dropped to the feet of Ampadu but he was unable to get enough on it to beat the keeper.

A fourth arrived on 70 minutes, though, Jayden Bogle getting in behind on the right and laying on the perfect cross for Joseph to grab his second. Summerville and Max Wober's presence on the left gave Leeds a real menace and the pair were involved in creating danger, and a couple of half chances.

There was some concern for Leeds when Ethan Ampadu went down from an off-the-ball challenge by Jessic Ngankam but after treatment the skipper returned to his feet. It was left to Joe Rothwell to exact a measure of revenge when he went in hard on the Hannover men in the final minute before the friendly was brought to a close.