Emirates FA Cup Fifth Round
Leeds United 3 (Longstaff 32’, Gudmundsson 43’, Piroe 85’)
Norwich City 0
Leeds: Perri (GK), Gudmundsson (Byram 87’), Ampadu (C), James (Bogle 70’), Longstaff (Struijk 70’), Piroe, Nmecha, Bijol, Tanaka (Stach 70’), Bornauw (Justin 46’), Gnonto. Subs not used: Darlow (GK), Aaronson, Buonanotte, Gruev.
Norwich: Grimshaw (GK) (Kovačević 46’), Gibbs (Stacey 62’), Chrisene, McConville, Ahmed (Amankwah 82’), McLean (C), Maghoma (Ben Slimane 63’), Field, Kvistgaarden 63’) (Mundle-Smith, Córdoba, Fisher. Subs not used: Medić, Darling, Wright, Springett.
Venue: Elland Road
Attendance: 36,213
Referee: Darren England
Booked: Longstaff, Tanaka (Leeds) Ahmed, Córdoba (Norwich)
Leeds United are just one match away from Wembley after cruising past Norwich City in the Emirates FA Cup Fifth Round at Elland Road.
Daniel Farke’s team raced into a two-goal lead courtesy of strikes from Sean Longstaff and Gabriel Gudmundsson, before a perfectly placed Joël Piroe finish after the break ensured the Whites’ name will be in the hat for Monday’s quarter-finals draw.
Having rung the changes to the side that faced Sunderland during the week, play got underway and the hosts were immediately on the front foot with a Longstaff free kick that was scrambled clear by the Canaries.
The midfielder then tried his luck from distance on his return to the starting XI but was unable to call goalkeeper Daniel Grimshaw into action.
Leeds thought they had taken the lead just before the 20th minute when Lukas Nmecha was on hand to tap home after Willy Gnonto had controlled the ball inside the area but, following a VAR check, the Italian international was adjudged to have handled.
Nmecha then had appeals for a penalty turned away. Daniel James raced onto an Ethan Ampadu long pass and crossed low for the striker who, as he shaped to shoot, was pushed in the back by a yellow shirt but there was nothing doing for referee Darren England or the video assistant.
The German international had another sight of goal moments later though he lashed over the upright on the turn 12 yards from goal.
The pressure finally told and in style. Gudmundsson marauded down the left flank and hooked the ball into Longstaff.
With his back to goal, the midfielder still had it all to do – controlling brilliantly on the spin and volleying beyond the outstretched Grimshaw!
The barest of margins then disallowed a second. Dangerously placed on the right, James chopped in-field and whipped a cross to the back post which was glanced in by an offside Gnonto.
There was nothing VAR could intervene with moments later, however, when Gudmundsson poked home his first goal for the Whites!
James again caused problems on the flank, cutting an inviting ball back into the middle which fell the way of the Swede to extend the lead.
In first-half stoppage time, Piroe saw a close-range effort deflect wide of the far post before England’s whistle brought a halt to proceedings.
HALF TIME: Leeds United 2-0 Norwich City
Farke’s men emerged from the interval having made one change to the personnel. James Justin replaced the hard-working Sebastiaan Bornauw at the back.
Leeds started brightly once more under the Elland Road lights and an inviting delivery from James on the right had to be punched clear by Norwich substitute keeper Vladan Kovačević as Nmecha lurked dangerously at the near post.
In the Canaries’ first real effort on target, Kenny McLean let fly yet the Norwich captain’s tame effort from range was easy pickings for Lucas Perri between the posts.
José Córdoba then had a great opportunity to halve the deficit, heading over the upright just yards from goal. Paris Maghoma was next to test Perri who made a necessary intervention diving to his right to gather.
The Norfolk outfit were enjoying a spell of pressure and should have reduced the arrears through substitute Anis Ben Slimane who skewed an effort wide at the back post.
A trio of changes from the dugout arrived with 20 minutes of normal time remaining. Pascal Struijk, Jayden Bogle and Anton Stach replaced Sean Longstaff, Daniel James and Ao Tanaka respectively.
The Whites went desperately close to adding a third courtesy of Piroe. The striker unleashed a rasping drive from distance which at full-stretch, Kovačević tipped onto the crossbar.
The stopper was proving his worth for the visitors, making a fine save to deny Nmecha before managing to scramble a Justin header away from danger.
A third of the evening finally arrived in brilliant fashion through Piroe. Stach initially did superbly driving over the half-way line, releasing Nmecha on the left.
The Germany international cut in from the flank, darting past a yellow shirt and found the striker who confidently swept an inch-perfect strike into the bottom corner.
Leeds had further sights of goal, including a good chance for the tirelessly working Nmecha, before the full-time whistle signalled United’s advancements to the last eight of the competition!
FULL TIME: Leeds United 3-0 Norwich City
