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Deye Muel

2 years ago

REPORT: CARDIFF 2-2 LEEDS UNITED

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Sports

2 years ago



?England Sonny Perkins, an under-19 international who earned a thrilling 2-2 draw for Leeds at Cardiff with a stoppage-time equalizer, keeping Leeds in the FA Cup.


Leeds appeared to be in for more FA Cup third-round misery after goals from Jaden Philogene and Sheyi Ojo in the first half.




However, Rodrigo cut the deficit with a close-range header, and three minutes into extra time, Perkins scored from close range after the Spanish substitute had been denied from the spot-kick and Cardiff had lost Joel Bagan to a red card.


The match brought back memories of Cardiff's legendary third-round triumph over Leeds in 2002, when David O'Leary's team was leading the Premier League.




At the time, Cardiff was playing in the third division, but a raucous Ninian Park witnessed one of the greatest upsets in the competition when Scott Young scored late.


Around 6,500 Leeds fans crammed the section behind one of the goals at Cardiff City Stadium to create an amazing atmosphere, including former defender Young, who was one of the guests welcomed back for the day.




With their respective standings in the Championship and the Premier League, Cardiff manager Mark Hudson and Leeds opponent Jesse Marsch deemed the adjustments to be rather concerning. Leeds kept four players from the 2-2 home draw with West Ham, while Cardiff kept just three from their New Year's Day loss at Blackburn.


Just one away from Stockport's 11-game winning streak in the FA Cup, Leeds was playing their 10th straight away game. Despite this, Leeds got off to a strong start, with Crysencio Summerville and Wilfried Gnonto both looking active, and Darko Gyabi whistling a shot wide in the second minute.




Cardiff had gone nearly six hours without scoring, and they were the lowest scorers in the Championship with 20 goals in 26 games. But after 348 minutes, their goalless streak was broken when Mark Harris dribbled past a sleepy Pascal Struijk and forced Joel Robles to make a stop.


When the ball broke to Isaak Davies, his shot was blocked, but the ball squirted to Philogene, who nailed it from six yards out.




Just after the halfway point, seven minutes later, Cardiff extended their lead. Once again, Robles was defeated by a superb finish into the roof of the net after Andy Rinomhota's floating pass this time left Ojo unguarded.


Before Gnonto's misdirected header, the young Italian was cautioned for simulation, an indication that Leeds' annoyance was rising. Marsch didn't make his first substitutes, a quadruple change, until almost 15 minutes into the second half.




The situation was saved by the midweek additions of Max Wober, Rodrigo, and Cody Drameh, who is currently Cardiff's player of the year after spending last season on loan in south Wales. Struijk missed a goal opportunity when it seemed easier to score, but the move nearly paid dividends right away.


Rodrigo met Sam Greenwood's chipped cross with a close-range header, which Jak Alnwick got a firm touch to but couldn't stop, to cut the lead in half for Leeds after 65 minutes.




Ten minutes before the end, Bagan dove to deflect Junior Firpo's goal-bound shot around the post, giving Leeds the opportunity to take control of the game in the Cardiff half.


Alnwick made the right decision to block Rodrigo's shot, but 18-year-old Perkins, who had played only eight minutes, clinched an Elland Road rematch.


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Deye Muel

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