Leeds United FA Cup run halted in unfitting manner and off-camera semi-final moments v Chelsea — YEP 27/4/26
By Graham Smyth
The YEP’s take and off-camera moments from Leeds United’s FA
Cup semi-final defeat to Chelsea at Wembley.
Leeds United's FA Cup dream came to a halt in a manner that
was not befitting of the journey.
Other than the routine win over Norwich City at Elland Road,
it was a pretty dramatic ride for the Whites all the way to Wembley.
Their victory over Derby County was eventful and lit up by a
glorious Willy Gnonto goal. They needed penalties to dispatch a stubborn,
physical Birmingham City. And at West Ham United in the quarter-final it was
edge-of-the-seat and nerve-jangling stuff.
But the semi-final did not deliver and Leeds fans were
forced to travel home from the national stadium yet again without even getting
to celebrate a goal.
Here's the YEP take.
Good day
Anton Stach
The German came back from injury ahead of schedule and
looked really bright against Chelsea. He helped turn the game in Leeds' favour
and came close to a goal with that fine strike from distance. Getting him
involved again for the final few games is a huge positive for Leeds.
Bad day
Pascal Struijk
The defender was coming off the back of arguably his best
performance of the season and then coughed up the ball for the Chelsea goal,
which proved to be the winner. What was so uncharacteristic about the error was
that Struijk had the ball at his feet and is normally so good in possession. It
was a rare slip but so costly. At full-time he was wearing it on his face,
looking entirely dejected.
Jayden Bogle
It was a big boost for Leeds that he passed fit for the game
and the moment when he left Marc Cucurella for dead was evidence of exactly why
he's in the team. But too often he embodied the nervous and 'clumsy' football
Daniel Farke talked about after the game. And defensively he had a really tough
one. All of that said, he should never have been booked after he was set upon.
Brenden Aaronson, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Ao Tanaka
The trio all had chances to put the ball in the net and were
unable to beat Robert Sanchez. Of the three, Aaronson at least made the keeper
work for his clean sheet. In big games you have to take your chances. None of
the three performed poorly overall, they just weren't clinical. And Chelsea's
Enzo Fernandez was.
Football
Seeing a tactical timeout at Wembley, in front of
80,000-plus fans and however many millions of a TV audience, should shame the
game's authorities into ridding us all of this blight. Goalkeepers going down
to break up opponents' momentum cannot be called cheating until some rule or
other prevents it, or at least discourages it. The sooner that day comes, the
better.
Jarred Gillett
Make up your mind, man. A first half in which he whistled
for everything, determining every little bit of contact as a foul, he suddenly
wanted to see a Royal Rumble after the break. It was bewilderingly inconsistent
stuff and the players cannot have known what to expect in any given moment. He
wasn't the reason Leeds lost, far from it, but nor was this an FA Cup
semi-final worthy performance from the man in the middle.
Off-camera moments
Jermaine Beckford sharing a joke with Willy Gnonto as the
winger came out to inspect the pitch with his team-mates before the game. Anton
Stach was a sight for sore eyes as he strode out of the tunnel.
Lucas Perri sweeping his glove across the Wembley turf,
crossing himself and offering up a prayer. He and the rest of the goalkeeping
bunch waved up to where loved ones were presumably stationed as they began
their preparations.
Ally McCoist saluting a group of Leeds fans after completing
his pitchside media duties.
Tony Dorigo receiving his England legacy cap on the pitch
prior to the warm-ups.
Ethan Ampadu hyping up the starting outfield players before
their possession game towards the end of the warm-up.
Brenden Aaronson starching a shot past Alex Cairns and off
the corner of the upright and crossbar.
Pascal Struijk sending a shot hopelessly over the bar and
ducking his head as he realised it might strike a Leeds fan, before holding up
an apologetic hand.
Daniel Farke disappearing from the technical area for a
conflab with his coaches with about 10 minutes left in a first half that wasn't
going to plan at all.
Struijk being consoled by various team-mates at the final
whistle. The defender was visibly distraught, having been guilty of the error
before Chelsea's winner.
