Dominic Calvert-Lewin endures nightmare Leeds debut — Mail 27/8/25
Dominic Calvert-Lewin endures nightmare Leeds debut as Daniel Farke's side suffer major injury blow in shock Carabao Cup defeat
By GETHIN HICKS
Dominic Calvert-Lewin endured a nightmare Leeds United debut
as his side bombed out of the Carabao Cup on Tuesday.
Daniel Farke's men made the short journey south to face
Sheffield Wednesday in what was a largely cagey affair at Hillsborough.
After a goalless first half, new recruit Calvert-Lewin, who
joined on a free transfer only last week, was introduced shortly before the
hour mark to try and break the deadlock.
Just minutes later however his side found themselves a goal
down to the Championship outfit when a driven Jamal Lowe effort was fumbled
into his own net by Karl Darlow.
The Whites nevertheless managed to fashion an equaliser
through substitute Jayden Bogle on the 80-minute mark and, with momentum on
their side, looked as though they were going to find a winner.
And they must've thought they'd done just that when Anton
Stach fired a low free-kick across the Wednesday six-yard box towards none
other than Calvert-Lewin in front of the travelling supporters in stoppage
time.
But the new recruit at Elland Road somehow got it all wrong,
side-footing his effort agonisingly past the post in what was a horror miss.
Yet with just minutes left, Calvert-Lewin was presented with
the chance to atone for his error when Willy Gnonto broke behind the host's
defence.
The Italian winger managed to send a delightful ball across
the face of the goal towards Leeds's new No 9 who, this time on his right-foot,
once again couldn't send the ball home.
Incredibly, on a night which just kept going from bad to
worse - and was yet to reach its low - for the former Everton man, he managed
to squander another huge chance before the end of regulation time.
It came in the 95th, and final, minute when a Daniel James
flick found its way to the forward in the six-yard box, who was unable to sort
his feet out and send the bouncing ball into the back of the net, taking the
tie to pens.
After a Joel Piroe miss for Leeds and two spot-kicks scored
by Wednesday, Calvert-Lewin stepped up to take the crucial second penalty for
his side.
Perhaps unsurprisingly on a night where almost nothing went
right for the new recruit, he blazed his spot-kick over the bar before, in what
was a dismal shootout display from Leeds, Sean Longstaff also had his effort
saved, sending the top-flight side out of the Carabao Cup 3-0 on penalties.
In his post-match press conference, manager Daniel Farke put
the loss down to 'too many missed chances', while also revealing the extent of
midfielder Ao Tanaka's injury.
The Japanese midfielder was forced off during his side's 5-0
thrashing at Arsenal on the weekend.
'MCL injury, he will also be out for a few weeks,' Farke
said.
'It's difficult at the moment to say exactly when he can
return but also definitely not before the international break so it's quite a
similar injury to Ethan Ampadu's.'
Speaking about the defeat to Wednesday, the former Norwich
City manager added: 'We feel a bit embarrassed that we don't win such a game
and you can just say sorry anyhow because they [the fans] made the trip and
wanted to celebrate.
'Of course we would have wished to have given them a better
outcome and also got into the next round.
'We would have liked to have got into the next round but the
reality today is that we sadly missed too many chances.'
The Whites return to Premier League action at the weekend
against Newcastle United at Elland Road.
