Leeds sit back again instead of going for the 4th and we concede another goal. We never learn.

Wilfried Gnonto acknowledges the Leeds fans after his late winner Image source,Rex Features
Image caption,

Wilfried Gnonto’s strike was just his third of the season for Leeds

Substitute Wilfried Gnonto scored an injury-time winner to send Leeds United top of the Championship as they beat Swansea City in a seven-goal thriller.

Italy international Gnonto netted in the 91st minute moments after Swans substitute Florian Bianchini appeared to have rescued a draw for the hosts.

Swansea, in their first game under a new ownership team, had led twice in the first half through Harry Darling and Wales striker Liam Cullen.

But Manor Solomon’s first two Leeds goals either side of an unfortunate Ben Cabango own goal had put the visitors 3-2 up after 73 minutes.

The Whites go top for the first time this season on goal difference, while for Swansea it was a second successive injury-time defeat.

Manor Solomon celebrates one of his goals with Joel PiroeImage source,Rex Features
Image caption,

Manor Solomon had scored five goals in English football for Fulham

Whites solve away-day issues

With both Sunderland and Sheffield United giving up late equalisers to drop two points each on Saturday, the opportunity was there for Leeds to climb above them with victory in south west Wales.

But they had not won any of their previous four away games, with those dropped points hampering their push to get into the automatic promotion spots.

Daniel Farke, on his 200th game as a Championship boss, made two changes to his team, bringing back in two more Swansea old boys in Dan James and Joel Piroe to go alongside Joe Rodon.

And James made amends for an early miss by setting up the first equaliser for Solomon as the Israel international scored his first goal since joining on a season’s loan from Tottenham Hotspur by sweeping in at the back post.

The Wales international was involved again with his second assist 10 minutes after the break. Released again in the right-wing position, his low ball was aimed for Piroe, but Cabango slid it past Lawrence Vigouroux in desperation to make it 2-2.

Solomon then had the visitors ahead for the first time as he fired in after Sam Byram had broken the Swans’ offside trap.

Leeds’ route to the top looked to have been halted by Bianchini’s goal, only for Gnonto to provide an incredible finale as they leapfrogged the Black Cats and Blades on goal difference, with all three sides locked on 32 points from 16 games.

Liam Cullen celebrates his Swansea goalImage source,Rex Features
Image caption,

Liam Cullen scored his fourth Swansea goal of the season to go with his two for Wales

More goals but no points

This game was the first under Swansea’s new ownership structure after American Andy Coleman along with fellow shareholders Brett Cravatt and Nigel Morris and businessman Jason Cohen bought out the majority shareholding of Jason Levein and Steve Kaplan.

Their eight-year tenure saw the club drop out of the Premier League in 2018 and become marooned largely in mid-table in the division below since.

Coleman’s vision is for a return to the top flight and more than £20m will be brought into the club.

It was only eight minutes into the new era when the Swans celebrated their first goal as centre-back Darling cushioned his volley from six yards beyond the reach of Illan Meslier.

Cullen had been rewarded for his first two Wales goals in the Nations League triumph over Iceland by regaining his place in Swansea’s goal-shy attack.

And right on half-time, he restored his team’s lead as his finish from the edge of the box took a slight deflection off Jayden Bogle and found the bottom corner via the post for his third goal of the week.

After Leeds scored twice in 14 minutes to turn things around in the second half, the Swans showed a mix of quality and character to fight back.

Josh Tymon’s left-wing cross was inviting for French striker Bianchini to get in front of his marker and steer home, as Luke Williams’ side scored three times in a game for the first time since August.

They were undone immediately at the other end by Gnonto’s winner, but with no Swansea game having more than three goals this season, if this match is a blueprint of how things will go from now on, Swans fans could be in for a treat.

Swansea City head coach Luke Williams:

“I think it was a very high level game. Both sides played a very high level of football.

“But I think the quality of Leeds was the difference.

“If you watch the replay [of the Bianchini goal], you will notice I don’t celebrate too much because I know the quality of opposition we are against and we have conceded a lot of late goals unfortunately.

“I am not so much frustrated, disappointed really because I thought we may be able to hold out to get a point but Leeds made a brilliant action and punished us.”

Leeds United manager Daniel Farke:

“It feels great [to be top], especially after such a game. It’s an advertisement for this league – I think Sky Sports will be pretty happy and also we are happy after a massive win.

“I didn’t see that coming. I expected a tight game, never a 4-3 because it’s so difficult to score goals against Swansea.

“But it was an excellent game for the supporters and for the neutrals as well. I think in the end we deserved to win because we won more or less every statistic.

“We were a bit sleepy in added time at the end of the first half and a bit sleepy in added time at the end of the second half, but in between we were excellent.”

Read more…

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.


*