Leeds United will embark on their 2023/24 season by kicking-off at Elland Road against Cardiff City, on Sunday 6 August at 14:30 BST. Ahead of the game, Ben Scott takes a look back at a memorable match from the 2015/16 season against Sunday’s opposition.
The last Leeds v Cardiff league game at Elland Road fell on December 14 2019 when a 3-3 draw unfolded. Patrick Bamford got a brace - one of which was a penalty kick after he himself was hauled down by the visiting goalkeeper. Helder Costa netted the other goal. The draw made it six unbeaten for Leeds in a season in which they would win the division.
The clubs have met since in Leeds, as an Emirates FA Cup third round replay saw a seven-goal match favour the Whites on January 18th 2023 when they ran out worthy 5-2 winners. Bamford again bagged a brace, as did Wilfried Gnonto and a Rodrigo effort sealed progression.
Looking back at previous encounters with Cardiff, the first win at home arrived on November 14th 1925, a 1-0 scoreline chalked up from a Bobby Turnbull goal. The biggest win was back in 1948 when a 4-0 triumph was achieved on 20th March with goals coming from Aubrey Powell, Ken Chisholm (2) and John Short. Another comfortable success arrived in the FA Cup tie of the 1974/75 season in the third round, as Leeds won 4-1 with Eddie Gray and Duncan McKenzie scoring alongside a pair from Allan Clarke - a nice start to the year as it was Leeds’ first game of 1975.
Our Memory Match at home against Cardiff at Elland Road is drawn from more recent times, when a second-half Alex Mowatt strike sank the Bluebirds on November 3 in 2015.
The weather in the first half was not for the faint-hearted, as rain, fog and a cold temperature fell over LS11.
The visitors were kept at arms’ length through good defensive work from the likes of Liam Cooper, Gaetano Berardi and the often-tracking back Stuart Dallas. They created a shield protecting the goal, kept by Marco Silvestri.
In that first half, Mowatt nearly found the scoresheet. The visitors struggled in clearing a Dallas cross from the right, but Cardiff saw a double-player block stop the shot from near the penalty spot.
Another Dallas cross nearly became an assist, but attacker Mirco Antenucci fired just wide. Visiting ‘keeper David Marshall was becoming frustrated as United’s attacking play kept bringing him danger.
The second period saw little that was testing for Silvestri to deal with and 18 minutes into the half Mowatt got what would be the only goal of the game - and one of the best of the season at Elland Road!
From well outside the penalty area he was laid on a pass from Antenucci after the Italian had held off pressure. Mowatt took two quick touches before sending a rocket of a shot into the top right corner of Marshall’s goal. The goalie was so well-beaten that a dive wasn’t even attempted. Instead, he just slumped down, cutting the figure of a goalie respectful of the strike.
Mowatt fully deserved the goal for his performance. The Yorkshire-born midfielder received the ovation he warranted with three minutes left, as he was substituted for another locally born midfielder when Kalvin Phillips replaced him.
Cardiff did test Silvresti in the second half, but he dived very well to save a shot from Joe Mason. In the latter stages, Chris Wood narrowly missed getting a second for Leeds. Another player subbed off was Dallas, with Sam Byram replacing him with eight minutes left, to great applause.
Leeds would win 2-0 in Wales later in the season as they took maximum points from Cardiff.
