Bournemouth 2 Leeds United 2 – Never Give Up. With a reputation at the beginning of the season of conceding late goals and rarely winning away, Leeds are ending the season scoring late goals and picking up points away – a team growing stronger while others buckle.
I was going to call this post “One eye on Wembley”, expecting the players to be distracted by their FA Cup semi-final match on Sunday against a Chelsea team in disarray. But Farke had different plans. He kept to the same team. He was grumpy throughout the ninety minutes and only smiled at the final whistle whilst Areola was still complaining about the equaliser. It was the substitutes what won it.
The first half was a quiet affair with both teams cancelling each other out. There was no blitzkrieg from Leeds in the first half hour. Bournemouth kept trying with forward lobs to players breaking through the Leeds defence, but Darlow was there to collect. Their attempts from corners and high balls were confidently met by Bijol and Struijk.
Bournemouth are one of the most technically adept sides in the Premier League. The pace at which they can sprint and pass forward was too much at times for Bogle and Gudmundsson. The high press made it difficult for Bijol and Struijk to play out. Calvert Lewin excelled in holding the ball from Darlow goal kicks, for Okafor to collect and run with it. Their intelligence in breaking down Leeds’ quick one-twos stopped Aaronson and Okafor from having any shot on goal until Aaronson managed a weak solo effort after half an hour.
There was nothing much to talk about in the first half until the final minutes, when, after an awful free kick from Tanaka, Darlow made a reaction save from Brian Christie to keep the score level.
The second half was a completely different affair with five goals, one of which was disallowed. It was a helter-skelter of Bournemouth going ahead and Leeds trying to stay in the race. Bournemouth were mostly the better side, but Leeds never gave up and equalised through smash-and-grab raids.
In the first fifteen minutes, Bournemouth were all over Leeds like a rash, earning their lead. Farke responded with an attacking substitution – Nmecha and Gnonto both on. Leeds responded with a scrappy equaliser in the Bournemouth penalty box that substitute Gnonto had deflected in the box. Gnonto may only have had a cameo role this season, but he can change games. Leeds should have then taken the lead as Okafor pick pocketed a defender, but his chip over the keeper could only hit the post. At the other end, Gudmundsson had a second tussle in the box and was lucky not to have given away two penalties.
Bournemouth regrouped with a late goal and then a third straight through the Leeds defence, but ruled offside. Leeds lost their way, failing to hold the ball, allowing Bournemouth to go forward repeatedly. It was looking bad for Leeds as Bournemouth then hit the post.
But Bournemouth, troubled by a disallowed goal and then hitting the post, lost their focus and Leeds, with substitute Piroe on, managed to get Nmecha on the ball, but his shot was just wide. It looked like it was all over. Then there was one more chance, practically the last kick of the match, in the Bournemouth penalty box with substitute Longstaff shooting through a crowd of players. Areola was incandescent as Piroe was standing offside in front of the keeper.
Leeds managed just three shots on goal all match, and did well to score from two of them. The players showed their ability to stand up to a team that has not lost in the Premier League since January.
Man of the match: Aaronson was Leeds’ brightest spark in the first but faded. Ampadu was commanding in front of the defence.
