Report: Middlesbrough 0-1 Leeds United — Leedsunited.com 8/4/25
A big win at the Riverside Stadium.
Leeds United were back in midweek Sky Bet Championship
action, making a short trip north to face Middlesbrough away from home, and
coming home with an excellent three points.
Naming his team to face Boro at the Riverside Stadium,
Daniel Farke made two changes from the draw at Luton over the weekend, bringing
in Brenden Aaronson and Ilia Gruev.
The home side came into the game in fifth position, having
won three our of their last four. The visitors began the night in third spot
and were looking to turn recent draws into wins, having ended all square in
their last three outings.
Under the lights on Teesside, the sound of the referee
blowing his whistle began proceedings and the Whites got off to a perfect
start, taking an early lead!
Junior Firpo picked up the ball in a central position and
fed a pinpoint pass for Manor Solomon. He then looked up and drilled it low
into the box for Dan James to get across the front of his marker and turn home
at close range!
Looking for more, James had another strike on his left-foot,
curling just over. At the opposite end Kelechi Iheanacho looked to do the same
but was off target, before a short time later Boro did find the net but the
flag went up to correctly rule out Tommy Conway’s close-range effort.
As the game ticked over the half-hour mark, it would be
Leeds who had a goal ruled out for offside this time. Solomon’s superb
back-post ball was turned home by Ao Tanaka, who was flagged offside, but
replays showed him to be clearly on.
A hard-working first half from both teams was brought to a
close, with the visitors taking a one-goal advantage back to their dressing
room.
HALF TIME: Middlesbrough 0-1 Leeds United
Returning to the pitch and getting underway for the second
half, Farke’s side started quickly again. James was the player to burst forward
and find Firpo, who then played in Joel Piroe, only for the strike to see his
shot well saved by Mark Travers.
Looking to respond, Boro had a couple of good openings of
their own, first of all when Finn Azaz was found at the back post but lashed
over. Then from a promising position, Delano Burgzorg shot wide.
Having a good spell in the game, the hosts had further
chances. Hayden Hackney forced a good save from Karl Darlow, who collected the
ball and cleared, before the ‘keeper saved once again by denying Conway.
Just over 20 minutes were left in the match when Farke went
to his bench. He brought on Willy Gnonto, Sam Byram, Isaac Schmidt and Patrick
Bamford, with the number 9 coming on to make his 200th appearance for the
Whites.
Straight into the action, the substitutes combined well.
Schmidt ran up the pitch, found Gnonto, who fed Bamford into the box and the
striker would finish brilliantly. However, the offside flag once again went up
incorrectly to deny the striker and Leeds a second goal.
Despite feeling aggrieved at the decisions, the Whites kept
focused and remained resolute in the final moments, to hold onto a more than
deserved three points and clean sheet.
The run in now continues and next up is a home clash against
Preston North End, back on home turf, in a lunchtime kick-off on Saturday.
FULL TIME: Middlesbrough 0-1 Leeds United