Leeds United 2 Bournemouth 2: Cruel twist at the death as Leeds spoil a fine afternoon's work — Yorkshire Post 27/9/25
By Leon Wobschall
THAT Leeds United supporters would have probably taken a
point beforehand against one of the Premier League’s early pacesetters felt a
pretty hollow utterance at the final whistle.
A game that Leeds fully deserved to win didn’t end that way.
Bournemouth got out of jail with their sole real moment of second-half menace
in the third minute of stoppage time and pilfered a point, thanks to substitute
Eli Kroupi.
It was a needless concession from Leeds and spoiled an
excellent, proper display and afternoon as Bournemouth took something away from
Elland Road for the first time in their history.
Earlier, Bournemouth had led on 26 minutes, courtesy of
Antoine Semenyo’s free-kick. A power header from Joe Rodon levelled on 37
before Longstaff’s first United goal – and the club’s first in open play – put
the hosts ahead early in the second-half.
But alas. Leeds players were gutted at the final whistle,
with the shellshocked home crowd appreciative of their efforts, despite the
hurt. Two points chucked away, for sure.
Ahead of the kick-off, there was reverence with Super Leeds’
great Johnny Giles honoured with a lifetime achievement award for his
outstanding service to the club between 1963-75, with the 84-year-old bestowed
with acclaim when he was presented with his accolade on the pitch.
When the action got under way, considerably less goodwill
was shown towards ex-United midfielder Tyler Adams whenever he touched the
ball. In truth, he already received the ‘treatment’ when he warmed up in front
of the South Stand.
In terms of the on-pitch action, there was one goal apiece,
but the greatest satisfaction should have belonged to Leeds, with a thumping
Rodon header cancelling out Semenyo’s blistering free-kick.
That said, they really should have been leading, given the
fact that Dominic Calvert-Lewin failed to convert a trio of excellent chances.
His first and third should have certainly been tucked away, for sure.
Seventeen seconds were on the clock, when Calvert-Lewin was
sent clear, courtesy of quick work by Sean Longstaff and Brenden Aaronson.
Away in a good central position, his shot lacked conviction
and Djordjie Petrovic saved, relievingly.
His second ‘miss’ owed more to the reflexes of the Cherries
keeper, who made a cracking parry to keep out his effort.
Gabriel Gudmundsson started the ball after Bournemouth
right-back Alejandro Jiminez got in a tangle.
The left-back’s cross found Longstaff. His miscued shot
found the stretching leg of Calvert-Lewin, but he reckoned without Petrovic’s
alertness.
The striker’s third opportunity was meek and straight at
Petrovic. It came after Jayden Bogle’s chip was hooked over, acrobatically, by
Aaronson, but Calvert-Lewin’s header lacked beef.
Going forward, Bournemouth were quick in transition and
posted danger. At the back, they looked a side who give you a chance.
That said, it was the Cherries who forged the breakthrough
after Anton Stach was penalised for leaning on Ryan Christie. It looked like a
soft award.
Semenyo was not one to look a gift horse in the mouth. A
four-man wall of Noah Okafor, Rodon, Stach and Pascal Struijk jumped up and the
fiercely-struck low drive went under the quartet.
The added insurance policy of Aaronson lying on the ground
to block didn’t cash in. The effort went slightly to the left of him and
hurtled into the net for Semenyo’s fourth goal of the campaign.
Fortunately, just 11 minutes later, Rodon restored parity,
bludgeoning home a cracking header from Longstaff’s corner on the right.
After being barracked all half, Adams was in home fans’ bad
books again following a meaty challenge on Stach, which was the prelude to a
bit of a kerfuffle. He received just a lecture from Michael Oliver, but no
card.
Another United legend in Lucas Radebe received warm applause
from home followers at half-time after being named as a new club ambassador.
In terms of the game going into the second half, it was
fascinatingly poised.
The first chance was a Leeds one, attacking the Kop.
Longstaff did to win a tackle and the ball landed invitingly
for Aaronson, whose deflected shot floated just wide.
Longstaff’s next moment was a huge one.
Oliver played on following a tussle close to the left
touchline. The ball broke and Okafor’s cross deflected into the direction of
Aaronson.
His effort on goal was blocked superbly by Marcos Senesi
before sailing into the path of Longstaff, who fired home a superb swerving
half-volley with the outside of his foot for a sumptuous first goal for the
club.
A VAR check for a possible offside was carried out, but the
goal stood.
Clearly not happy with what he was seeing, Bournemouth chief
Andoni Iraola made a triple change on the hour with Leeds-born Marcus
Tavernier, Alex Scott and David Brooks all entering the fray.
It couldn’t inspire the visitors against a purposeful
looking Leeds.
Stach then won a challenge against Adams and a rasping drive
from substitute Jack Harrison, who came on not long before, was beaten away by
a busy Petrovic.
Bournemouth posed a few half-scares, but it was far from
frightening. The intensity on the resumption had come from Leeds.
For Leeds, it was about managing the final period of a
strong team performance and there was a delicious moment for their followers
when Adams, who had a difficult afternoon, made way.
The intensity came from those in white, who won a plethora
of duels in the second half.
But that the cruel late twist.
David Brooks’ free-kick was headed across goal by Senesi and
Leeds paid due care and attention to Kroupi, who fired home unmarked.
