Leeds United 0 Sunderland 1: Double dismay and Elland Road fury as Whites blow big chance with setback — YEP 3/3/26
By Lee Sobot
Leeds United took on injury-hit Sunderland under the Elland
Road lights.
Leeds United blew a chance to move nine points clear of the
Premier League dropzone and ultimately suffered a second consecutive home loss
as Tuesday night’s hosting of Sunderland ended in a 1-0 defeat.
Chances were few and far between in a dull first half,
Whites midfielder Anton Stach going closest with a powerful low free-kick from
the edge of the box that keeper Melker Ellborg tipped wide with a flying save
just after the half hour mark.
A foul on Brenden Aaronson in the second minute of stoppage
time gave Leeds and Stach another free-kick in an almost identical position but
the German smashed his shot into the wall before Sunderland cleared for a
throw.
Ethan Ampadu sent his throw into the mixer but Sunderland
cleared and quickly attempted to launch a counter but referee Stuart Attwell
blew up for half-time, causing a furious reaction from several Black Cats
players.
Nilson Angulo had looked lively upfront for the visitors who
earlier looked set to score when Dan Ballard sent a header towards Eliezer
Mayenda from a corner but Pascal Struijk got a crucial touch in to clear.
But the Black Cats earlier looked to have got away with one
with Luke O’Nien not punished for a high rugby tackle on Brenden Aaronson in
the box.
There were no changes during the half-time break, after
which Ballard somehow escaped a booking for hauling down Aaronson near the
byline for a free-kick which Sunderland cleared.
With defences well on top, Whites boss Daniel Farke made his
first change just after the hour mark as striker Lukas Nmecha replaced
midfielder Ilia Gruev to join Dominic Calvert-Lewin up tops.
Leeds then looked to have gone ahead a few minutes later as
Joe Rodon headed home a powerful free-kick from Stach into the box from under
the crossbar but joy turned to despair with Rodon having strayed into an
offside position.
But things then got even worse for Leeds a couple of minutes
later as Sunderland were awarded a penalty for an Ethan Ampadu handball after
the intervention of VAR.
Ampadu had flicked the ball away from his men with a slight
movement of his elbow and referee Stuart Attwell was sent to his monitor.
Attwell pointed to the spot on his return and Habib Diarra
stepped up to just about convert, his attempt to send the ball down the middle
hitting Karl Darlow’s leg but bobbling over the keeper into the corner of the
net.
Farke then through on wingers Dan James and Willy Gnonto as
Aaronson and James Justin were replaced, James immediately threatening down the
right when flashing a cross through the area but behind for a goal kick.
From the other flank, Gnonto cut inside and lined up a
shooting opportunity but hammered his fierce attempt wide.
After Joel Piroe and Jaka Bijol were introduced, Bijol’s
shot in a crowded box took a deflection and bounced back off the outside of the
post for a corner which Sunderland survived.
After a game featuring continued breaks in play for
Sunderland players going down injured, Leeds were given 12 minutes of added
time to try and find a way back but Ellborg saved another headed attempt from
Bijol before Piroe wasted an attack by firing a shot from the edge of the box
well wide.
