Leeds United 2 Swansea City 2: Ilan Meslier quickly back from messiah to pariah as Whites throw away victory — Yorkshire Post 29/3/25

By Stuart Rayner

Ilan Meslier had spent 63 minutes proving why his status as an Elland Road terrace pariah was unfair and a matter of seconds proving – twice – why it was not.

You're still thinking about the bad news, aren't you?

Such is the lot of a goalkeeper that the Frenchman kept his side in the game after taking a 35-second lead mired them in lethargy.

But when they finally got out of the blocks in the second half, he undermined a brilliant save by gifting Swansea City an equaliser seconds later.

And when Willy Gnonto looked as if he had scored a dramatic 86th-minute equaliser having only come on in the 85th, Meslier let a Zan Vipotnik shot through his body in the 96th, leaving his side to settle for a 2-2 draw.

It is why, if Leeds do make it to the Premier League, they will have to leave him behind.

That is still in doubt, with Leeds only in the automatic promotion places on goal difference after Sheffield United and Burnley won this weekend.

As the home players went to thank their fans from a safe distance, they were greeted with an encore of the boos that met the full-time whistle.

It had been a game to really test the emotions.

From a pure performance point of view, Brenden Aaronson scoring after just 35 seconds was one of the worst things that could have happened to Leeds.

It was hardly a work of art, though it hardly mattered.

Leeds got Jayden Bogle away down the right and when he put the ball in former Swansea striker Joel Piroe shot at the prone Ben Cabango, then backheeled into the shins of Joshua Key before Aaronson poked the ball in.

It must have been a sweet moment from the American, dropped by his country in the international break. He would have faced the same fate if Leeds' XI was picked by public vote, especially after a poor performance at Queens Park Rangers last time out which saw him hooked at half-time.

Like in the home games with Sheffield Wednesday and Norwich City, it was almost as if Leeds scored too early.

With something to lose they seemed scared to move up through the gears and instead tempted fate horribly.

Another terrace scapegoat, Meslier, was on their side for an hour, along with Lady Luck, until both turned on them.

Joe Rodon gifted his hometown club a 13th-minute penalty when he clumsily barged into former Huddersfield Town midfielder Lewis O'Brien.

Meslier threw himself left to keep out Josh Tymon's kick.

Ten minutes later Leeds got lucky, Cabango's header from a free kick hitting a post with Hannes Delcroix trying to put it in. Instead it bounced back into the relieved Meslier's arms.

On the half-hour the much-derided Frenchman was saving again. Tymon's shot was going wide, but might have picked out Ronald as a result but for Meslier's gloves.

Joe Rothwell nearly flicked a later free-kick on to Liam Cullen, arriving at the far post.

Leeds offered precious little in return during the first half, Dan James volleying off target and Sam Byram having a header saved.

They showed far more vim and vigour in the second half, yet donated an equaliser.

Daniel James' effort quickly after the restart was close to Byram as well as the goal, he full-back curled an effort narrowly off target after Pascal Struijk's pass released Manor Solomon. Rodon headed wide at a corner with the aid of a deflection and Piroe's volley was saved.

Meslier's quick-thinking to come off his line after the rusty Ethan Ampadu was mugged by Ronald meant that Swansea's first chance of note had to wait until the 63rd minute.

The goalkeeper was up to it, again diving left to make an excellent save from Ronald.

But from the corner he dropped the ball at the feet of Darling, who gratefully accepted the gift.

The frustration around Elland Road was audible as Leeds resumed attacking, and resumed missing.

Prioe, Aaronson and Bogle all chanced their arms, but it looked like it was not going to come.

Gnonto burst the dam of tension, finding the net within a minute of coming on as a substitute. It had all the hallmarks of a dramatic late Leeds winner, coming from Pascal Struijk winning his header at a corner.

Lawrence Vigouroux made an excellent save but Gnonto – an injury doubt from his midweek international exploits – ran onto the loose ball to score.

That seemed like that, two points rescued.

But no.

Leeds lost the ball from a Junior Firpo throw-in in the sixth of what was due to be a minimum of seven minutes added, and when substitute Vipotnik shot, Meslier dived over it.

It was an exhausting and demoralising way to blow victory.