It was ninety minutes of carnage – fouls and duels all over the pitch. The cross bar rattling away. A controversial goal. A penalty given and denied and then two goals in extra time. It took a moment of brilliance by Raphinha and Gelhardt to win the match at the death. Leeds United manage the double over Norwich City.
Marsch changes his team after the dreadful performance against Aston Villa. Bamford starts with Diego Llorente returning, and Mateusz Klich. Firpo is out for the rest of the season with a suspected medial collateral ligament damage.. Jack Harrison, Robin Koch Marsch is looking for his best team. Interestingly, despite being subbed off at half time starts behind Bamford. Gelhardt goes back to being an impact sub. Leeds United still missing two first team players Phillips and Cooper.
The early style of Marsch shows with James and Raphinha swapping sides and crosses to forward players that Norwich defenders pick off. The nervousness of Leeds players shows – poor corners from Raphinha – passes going astray, lots of aggressive fouls, and an early Norwich claim for a penalty.
Thirteen minutes in a long ball to Bamford fails but Rodrigo picked up the loose ball and smashes it into the net via a deflection off Gibson. Rodrigo cannot score a straight goal. Bamford was offside and Norwich disagree with VAR that he was not interfering with play. Rodrigo celebrates like a cup final with all the squad and Marsch. Massive boost of confidence for Leeds fans who start singing.
Leeds United are creating the chances but that final shot is either missing or off target. Raphinha is the most guilty with a miskick in front of goal on 20 minutes and then hits the cross bar. Then a corner that Stuijk heads at Krull who saves and then Struijk, making a good impression in the penalty box, kicks over the bar. Leeds should be 2-0 up.
Dan James is having a good match as a midfielder attacking the Norwich defence with his pace. He has a crazy minute as first he is knocked over in the penalty box – a clear penalty as he is pushed – then when the ball comes back to James he turns left when he should have taken the shot and gets dispossed. Another missed opportunity.
Bamford is still not match sharp and misses his good opportunities. A freneticc first half with Leeds having lots of action in the Norwich penalty box but finishing remains poor with too many opportunities missing the goal. Leeds should have been three goals to the good. Instead they start the second half with a nervous one goal lead.
Another nervous 45 minutes
Leeds United start the second half with Harrison replacing Bamford. Nervous start to the second half with a Norwich free kick dangerously falling straight into the penalty box.
On 50 minutes Leeds pressure sees the ball in the net by James but he is off side. The Leeds fans find their voice. Leeds grow into the game but that final shot is missing. Forshaw is dominant in midfield pushing the ball up to Rodrigo. Rodrigo is replaced by Koch, a defender – strange move as Leeds United need a second goal.
An opportunity on the hour sees James set up for a shot which he takes but Krull saves – if he had passed to Klich in space it would have been in the net. Norwich still threaten with a rare shot on goal from their sub and then hit the cross bar on 70 minutes but that is offside.
And then it goes wrong for Leeds as Ayling clumsily challenges in the box causing an unnecessary penalty. Looks bad but VAR referred to the referee to his television who dismisses the penalty.
Leeds respond with some skillful play from Harrison causing a free kick but Raphinha cannot score how hard he tries, hitting the cross bar from the free kick. Harrison and Aarons have an ongoing scrap on the left.
The frenetic pace of the game continues into the last minutes as James has an off the ball tussle when Klich has the ball in the penalty box. And then from a long ball Norwich cross in the box and score in extra time. Leeds don’t clear. It should have been a comfortable home won. Gelhardt is brought on in extra time, too late.
Or is it. Leeds attack and attack but it looks too little too late. Then Meslier kicks the ball long and Gelhardt, just on the pitch, heads to Raphinha who takes the ball to the line and cuts back to Gelhardt who taps it in the net. There is chaos in the ground as everyone swamps Gelhardt.
It’s not all over yet. Norwich have one last go and Meslier is forced into a point blank save. It is all a little surreal as Krull plays forward and Norwich play without a keeper. But the whistle blows and the fans sing “I predict a Riot”. Orta is in tears.
Man of the Match: Raphinha
