Birmingham City 1 Leeds United 1 (AET, Leeds win 4-2 on penalties): Keeper hero as Whites survive epic — YEP 15/2/26

By Lee Sobot

Leeds United took on Birmingham City at St Andrew’s for a place in the FA Cup fifth round.

Leeds United survived a first-half onslaught as part of an epic FA Cup tie at Birmingham City which ended with the Whites going through 4-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw after extra time.

Leeds threatened inside three minutes as a direct run from Noah Okafor took him to the byline and near the left hand post, the winger blocked out for a corner which came to nothing.

Birmingham, though, soon put the Whites under pressure, a firm drive from Jay Stansfield blocked out by Jaka Bijol for a corner from which Jhon Solis volleyed into the side netting at the far post.

A dangerous ball into the box then needed booting clear by a busy Bijol and Birmingham were then denied by a brilliant save from keeper Lucas Perri to tip a rasping shot from Stansfield on to the crossbar, the forward controlling the ball on the edge of the box and sending in a thunderous effort which was flying into the roof of the net.

The Blues were now dominating and continued to create chances, a brilliant sliding block from Gabi Gudmundsson forcing a corner from which a free header was inadvertently blocked by Blues forward Gray.

Moments later, Gray was in on goal himself, James Justin slipping as he chased a long ball over the top and Gray cutting inside but seeing his low drive blocked by Bornauw.

Gudmundsson attempted to get Leeds going down the left with some bright play but his long throw into the mixer was cleared and the Whites then wasted a free-kick as Longstaff's delivery was easily caught by keeper Ryan Allsop.

A quiet Willy Gnonto then made a break down the right flank but his deflected cross was also plucked out of the air by Birmingham's keeper.

For Leeds, it was slim pickings but Longstaff then forced a good save from Allsop with a firm low drive from 25 yards out that the Blues stopper tipped wide of the left hand post.

Back came Birmingham, though, Carlos Vicente sprinting away down the right and sending in a dangerous cross which Perri gathered.

Another cross from the opposite side then narrowly evaded Gray at the far post and Leeds were then saved by another excellent Perri save to deny Gray in the 39th minute.

This time a ball down the right found Vicente who had loads of time up against Bornauw to square the ball to Gray who was equally free facing Justin and hammered a low shot towards the bottom left corner which a flying Perri pushed away to safety.

Vicente was heavily involved but the Spaniard was then rightly booked for simulation as he looked for a penalty after chopping back past Longstaff in a crowded box.

Birmingham then survived a hooked Bijol cross into the box and another Leeds corner but the Blues had absolutely dominated the first half which somehow ended goalless as opposed to them being a few goals to the good.

Boss Daniel Farke not surprisingly made a change during the interval, the almost anonymous Facundo Buonanotte taken off after an awful full Whites debut and replaced by captain Ethan Ampadu.

Birmingham began the half by winning an early free kick which was sent over the bar but Ampadu clearly meant business and went charging towards keeper Allsop as he looked to clear at the other end.

Moments later, from nothing, Ampadu’s men were in front, Okafor driving forward and playing the ball to Nmecha who cut inside on the edge of the box and unleashed an absolute thunderbolt into the top left corner.

Ampadu was already having a huge impact and one of his trademark long throws was then cleared to Ao Tanaka whose fierce drive from the edge of the box was blocked.

Birmingham, though, produced a brilliant response to going behind by creating another load of chances which Leeds somehow survived, helped largely by fine defending by Bornauw, Bijol and Ampadu.

The Blues looked certain to level as a cross from Vicente flew across the face of the goal towards August Priske but Bornauw got a vital touch in to force a corner which led to a huge scramble which the Whites survived.

Leeds were rather holding on again and Farke made a double change in the 68th minute as big guns Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Brenden Aaronson were brought on for goalscorer Okafor and the disappointing Gnonto whose last act was to slip as he fired in a shot from the edge of the box that was blocked.

Calvert-Lewin quickly looked to get Leeds going with a charge up the field yet Leeds were again saved by another fine sliding block from Bornauw to force yet another corner which flew through the box and almost went in the top left corner.

Leeds, though, then began to look dangerous again, Aaronson working space in the box and seeing his shot blocked behind for a corner from which Bijol sent a header wide.

After another Leeds change saw Joel Piroe replace Ao Tanaka, a big chance was wasted as Justin sent a powerful header from a Longstaff corner over.

But yet another glorious Birmingham chance was squandered two minutes later, Ibrahim Osman getting away down the left and seeing his first shot blocked by Bijol and wastefully sending a second attempt wide.

Leeds were then dealt an injury blow, the lively Okafor appearing to injure his hamstring and substituted for Bogle with eight minutes left.

Time was now running out for the Blues but Osman wasted yet another chance in the 87th minute, picked out at the far post but slipping and bending his shot wide.

But the Blues kept on going and finally drew level in the 89th minute as a corner was cleared to the edge of the box to Patrick Roberts who unleashed a fierce drive which Justin attempted to head clear but his touch instead took the ball flying past Perri into the left corner.

Birmingham then pressed for a winner, shouts for a penalty for an Ampadu push ignored and Osman wasting a good chance when firing over.

In a frantic ending, Leeds then went close as a long throw from Ampadu dropped to Calvert-Lewin’s whose strong rising drive was deflected over.

But Birmingham almost won it with the last kick of normal time, Osman hitting the post and the follow-up attempt blocked at point-blank range.

It meant the game headed to extra time, Joe Rodon now brought into the Leeds defence as Bornauw made way.

Birmingham began extra time on the front foot, a couple of important headers from Justin forcing corners before Leeds wasted a counter opportunity as Calvert-Lewin set up Joel Piroe whose shot was blocked.

But yet another Osman chance was wasted in the 98th minute, the Blues forward again arriving at the far post but blazing his effort over.

In a very stretched game, Calvert-Lewin’s knockdown almost sent Jayden Bogle clean through, Allsop able to race out and gather.

Another Whites opening was then wasted as Piroe took too long to play in Calvert-Lewin who was offside by time he received the ball and in any case fired wide.

After another fine Blues cross flew across the Whites box, the first half of extra time was ended with the sides still level at one apiece.

Both teams looked to find a winner and a powerful strike from Calvert-Lewin knocked over his own man in Aaronson as the clock hit 113 minutes.

Back up the other end, a clever flick played in Osman but the opening was again wasted and Leeds were then thwarted as a Piroe shot was blocked and sent behind for a corner.

But Leeds then squandered two glorious chances to bag the latest of winners, Bogle playing in Calvert-Lewin who went for goal when Piroe was free in the middle and seeing his shot saved.

From the corner, the ball then dropped to Ampadu who walloped his effort over the bar and the game was finally ended and sent to penalties as Birmingham survived one last Leeds attack.

The Whites now had to hold their nerve on spot kicks and did just that, Piroe, Calvert-Lewin, Aaronson and Longstaff all converting after Birmingham missed two of theirs, one of them kept out by a brilliant Perri save.