West Ham 2 Leeds United 2 (Leeds win 4-2 on pens): Whites off to Wembley after FA Cup epic — YEP 5/4/26

By Lee Sobot

Leeds United took on West Ham United at the London Stadium for a place in the FA Cup semi-finals.

Leeds United booked their place in the semi-finals of the FA Cup for the first time since 1987 after coming through an absolute epic quarter-final at West Ham on penalties.

Leeds made a very bright start and only a fine save from Alphonse Areola prevented the Whites from going ahead with just three minutes on the clock, Areola getting down quickly to tip a low shot from Noah Okafor just wide.

Leeds were well on top but the Whites yet two particularly good early saves from keeper Lucas Perri were needed to prevent the Irons from going in front.

Daniel Farke's Whites, though, looked more likely to open the scoring and did just that in the 23rd minute through a lovely move finished off by Ao Tanaka.

West Ham were largely only threatening on the break but Leeds themselves should have doubled their advantage as Okafor led a counter and played in Anton Stach.

Stach was denied by another good save by Areola who diverted his shot wide for a corner but Stach was caught on the follow through by a tackle and left injured.

VAR checked the incident for a penalty which was not given and the Leeds misery was compounded as Stach was forced off injured and replaced by Brenden Aaronson as part of a half which ended with a few home fans booing West Ham off at the break.

There were then two big incidents at the start of the second half, Whites captain Ethan Ampadu firstly taking out West Ham's Adams Traore with a challenge from behind to ensure he could not get away on the counter from his own long throw.

Ampadu was booked although VAR checked the incident for serious foul play, Ampadu ultimately getting away with just a booking.

But Leeds were then dealt another injury blow, centre-back Joe Rodon going down injured at the Ampadu long throw and also forced off as Sebastiaan Bornauw took his place.

West Ham were now gaining momentum and Leeds were saved by the frame of the goal just after the hour mark, Traore going past Aaronson and sending in a cross which teed up Taty Castellanos whose header smashed back off the post.

Incredibly, Leeds were dealing with another injury blow at the same time, Okafor going to ground and needing treatment, the winger eventually substituted as part of a triple change that also Tanaka and Nmecha make way as Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Wily Gnonto and Ilia Gruev were brought on.

All the momentum was with West Ham although Leeds went close as a Gruev free-kick was cleared out to Pascal Struijk whose lovely shot on the turn flew over the bar.

West Ham were soon back attacking yet the hosts were then left with a mountain to climb as Leeds broke clear and were eventually awarded a penalty for a clumsy challenge by Max Kilman on Aaronson.

Referee Craig Pawson somehow missed it but VAR intervened and advised Pawson to look at his monitor. With Aaronson completely taken out, there could only be one outcome and Pawson returned to point to the spot.

Having only been on the pitch for a matter of minutes, Calvert-Lewin stepped up to take the penalty and converted with a clinical low strike, after which West Ham’s Kilman was booed by his own fans whenever he got the ball.

Leeds, meanwhile, were now pushing for a third, a Gnonto flick from a Jayden Bogle cross going just wide and Areola producing a brilliant save to tip a rasping drive from Bornauw over the bar.

The Whites looked home and hosed but the ending of the game was given a different feeling as 11 minutes of added time were somehow announced.

In the third of them, West Ham pulled a goal back, Jarrod Bowen’s thumping shot smashing back off the post but into the path of Matheus Fernandes who headed home to set up a grandstand finish.

Incredibly, the Irons then drew level a few minutes later, Traore getting away down the left and sending in a cross which teed up Axel Disasi to convert with a high boot finish.

Even then there was more drama, the goal checked by VAR for a high boot but allowed to stand.

Both sides then had chances to bag a normal time winner but instead the contest went to extra-time and West Ham looked to gave gone ahead within seconds of it beginning after a howler from keeper Lucas Perri.

Perri came haring out looking to clear a long ball but got in a mess which led to Castellanos brilliantly converting from a tight angle but Perri and Leeds were saved by VAR as Castellanos was marginally offside.

Leeds then went close at the other end as Bogle’s pullback set up James Justin whose shot was kept out by a goalline clearance, Gnonto then wasting a great opportunity by lashing over on the follow-up.

West Ham then looked to have gone ahead a few minutes later as another powerful shot from Bowen crashed back off the post and this time Pablo netted on the rebound but he too was flagged offside to the despair of the home fans.

Even the first half of extra time featured two added minutes, the whistle finally blown with the game still level at 2-2.

Joel Piroe was then brought on to replace Bogle as the final Leeds change but it was a West Ham substitute in Mohamadou Kante who wasted the next chance, getting into the box but slicing his shot wide.

As the game headed towards penalty, more drama presented itself, West Ham keeper Areola landing awkwardly and unable to continue which led to 20-year-old stopper Finlay Herrick coming on for first team debut.

With no further chances, an absolute marathon of a game was finally ended after 126 minutes of football, penalties needed to decide who would take their place in the FA Cup semi-finals.

Late substitute Piroe stepped up first and saw Herrick save his poor spot kick but an equally poor penalty from Bowen was also saved by Perri.

But Calvert-Lewin, Aaronson and Gnonto all netted with their kicks from 12 yards which provided Struijk with the opportunity to send Leeds through after Perri also saved from Pablo.

Hearts were in mouths yet Struijk has previously been United’s main penalty taker and the defender produced an unstoppable spot kick that flew into the bottom right corner in off the post - giving Herrick no chance and sending his team to Wembley for an FA Cup semi-final.