Leeds United never do things the easy way.
For the neutral watching on, the drama that unfolded between Leeds and West Ham United in the last FA Cup quarter-final showdown of the bumper Easter Weekend didn’t disappoint, as the Whites surrendered a two-goal lead at the death of normal time, to take the game to a nervy penalty shoot-out.
For Leeds fans everywhere, though, the game went from being a fun watch to complete and utter torture.
Thankfully, Daniel Farke’s men held their nerve from the spot to reign supreme as 4-2 winners in the penalty shootout, with a semi-final clash with Liam Rosenior’s Chelsea now on the cards at Wembley, later this month.
As journalist Kyle Newbould put it at the full-time whistle, it was an “utterly mental” match to take in, with several Leeds players putting in top-notch displays during the eventful 120-minute clash at the London Stadium.
How Leeds saw off West Ham
It was a far later journey than first anticipated back for Leeds fans to West Yorkshire, now, but they won’t mind one bit, as they have now seen their side reach their first FA Cup semi-final since 1987.
They did it the hard way, but it meant Lucas Perri was the hero from the spot, as he saved two spot-kicks, to hand the away side a very memorable win.
Alongside Perri, Jaka Bijol stood out defensively, with 11 duels bravely won during the extended showdown, while Pascal Struijk smashed home one of the four successful penalties Leeds placed past debutant Hammers goalkeeper Finley Herrick.
Of course, Ao Tanaka would get the ball rolling for Farke and Co, when he cleverly scored a deflected effort, after only 25 minutes had been played.
In all the drama that ensued, it could well have been forgotten about how stylish the Japanese ace’s opener was, as he also went about his business calmly by amassing a 91% pass accuracy.
Farke utilised his bench well, too, with how long the game went on for, as Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored his team’s second of the match during the initial 90 minutes.
The relieved German also had to use his substitute options wisely, as Anton Stach went down with a serious-looking injury after only 38 minutes of action.
This is a blow, as Leeds still have some crunch games left in their battle to beat the Premier League drop, but there was one lively performer at the London Stadium who might well be a perfect stand-in.
How Leeds can solve their Stach blow
Losing Stach for such a critical part of the season will be a bitter pill to swallow if his injury turns out to be a bad one.
The German livewire has consistently popped up with moments of magic for Farke’s men in their time of need, with four goals and three assists next to his name in the Premier League this campaign.
It could give Wilfried Gnonto an apt opportunity to get back to his Leeds best; however, as he gave the Hammers plenty of headaches during the latter stages of the enthralling tie.
From only 51 minutes of action, when coming on in place of Noah Okafor, the tricky Italian left his lasting mark on the back-and-forth affair, as the diminutive forward managed to win eight duels from only 29 touches of the ball, among other impressive statistics.
|
Gnonto’s impressive numbers |
|
|---|---|
|
Stat |
Gnonto |
|
Minutes played |
51 |
|
Touches |
29 |
|
Accurate passes |
12/16 (75%) |
|
Shots |
3 |
|
Big chances missed |
2 |
|
Successful dribbles |
1/1 |
|
Tackles won |
1/2 |
|
Total duels won |
8/9 |
|
Penalty shootout goals |
1 |
Even Perri, in between the sticks, would manage more, coming in at 51 touches, with Gnonto also ending his captivating stint on the pitch with three shots registered, one successful dribble amassed, and even a tackle valiantly won for his troubles.
He might have irked some of the Leeds faithful watching on, as he spurned a couple of extra-time chances, but he more than made up for those misfires with an emphatic penalty kick in the shoot-out.
Often pushed to one side this season, with only four Premier League starts under his belt, Farke could now throw Gnonto in from the start more, if Stach is to be sidelined, as he operates in much the same lively way as the ex-Hoffenheim man, when performing at the peak of his powers. In his pomp, there are comparisons to be drawn to former Leeds wingers in the form of Raphinha and Crysencio Summerville but very rarely have we seen him live up to that hype.
At his best, the slick number 29 has been labelled as a “firework” by pundit Noel Whelan in the past for his dazzling ability, with his impactful spell against Nuno Espirito Santo’s hosts deserving of more first-team opportunities, particularly if there’s despondent news to come on the injury front.
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