Premier League
Leeds United 3 (Calvert-Lewin pen 73’, Stach 75’, Tanaka 90 +6’)
Liverpool 3 (Ekitiké 48’, 50’, Szoboszlai 80’)
Leeds: Perri (GK), Bogle (Bornauw 90+3’), Gudmundsson, Ampadu (C) (Piroe 87’), Struijk, Rodon, Calvert-Lewin, Bijol (Aaronson 65’), Stach, Okafor (Gnonto 65’), Gruev (Tanaka 65’). Subs not used: Darlow (GK), Harrison, Justin, Byram.
Liverpool: Becker, van Dijk, Konaté, Kerkez, Wirtz (Mac Allister 68’), Szoboszlai, Bradley (Gomez 68’), Jones, Gakpo (Endo 83’), Ekitiké (Isak 84’), Gravenberch. Subs not used: Mamardashvili, Salah, Chiesa, Robertson, Ngumoha.
Venue: Elland Road
Attendance: 36,842
Referee: Anthony Taylor
Booked: Bogle, Gudmundsson, Struijk (Leeds) Bradley, Gomez (Liverpool)
On a soaked through and thoroughly wild night in West Yorkshire, Leeds United emerged with a hard-fought draw earned through comebacks from 2-0 and 3-2 down late on against the defending champions Liverpool.
Daniel Farke made two changes to his side following their brilliant home victory against Chelsea on Wednesday. With Lukas Nmecha out, Noah Okafor stepped in to lead the line up top alongside Dominic Calvert-Lewin, and Ilia Gruev replaced Ao Tanaka.
Under constant rain, the Whites and the Reds got underway tonight with Leeds on the front foot from the off! A Pascal Struijk header played in Okafor, whose shot ran just wide of Alisson’s left post, and, from a free-kick seconds later, Gabriel Gudmundsson hit just over the bar on the volley.
From there, play settled, the game’s next chance coming to Liverpool’s Curtis Jones, who curled a shot from just outside the box that clattered off the bar.
Liverpool were on the ascendancy and won a free kick well into the Leeds half, but Dominic Szoboszlai’s delivery went well over Lucas Perri’s net.
A few minutes later, Szoboszlai delivered a better ball to the head of Virgil van Dijk in the box, who couldn’t find the target.
Leeds’ next opportunity came from a 35th minute corner, as the ball fell to Struijk, spinning in the box and shooting wide.
The next corner fell the way of the visitors, and Perri had to be ready, punching the ball of the goal line and clear of danger.
Three minutes of added time wound down with the score-line still empty in a firmly contested affair.
HALF TIME: Leeds United 0-0 Liverpool
Both teams remained unchanged at the break, and it was the away side who found the breakthrough on 48 minutes, Hugo Ekitiké the goal scorer, running on to a loose ball and tucking it past Perri.
Moments later, Ekitiké doubled the visitors’ advantage after Conor Bradley’s cross found the striker, who was first to the ball in front of the United keeper.
Leeds responded strongly to their sudden predicament, with Anton Stach marauding to find Gudmundsson, whose cross glanced off the head of Calvert-Lewin.
Leeds made a triple change soon after, but it was Liverpool with the next chance, Cody Gakpo forcing a fine save from Perri diving down to his left.
Then, with some deft touches, Stach and Gudmundsson released the marauding Wilfried Gnonto, who was brought down near the byline by Ibrahima Konaté, winning the Whites a penalty! From the spot, Calvert-Lewin smashed the ball past the reach of Allison, and the deficit was halved!
Just two minutes later, it was another substitute, Brenden Aaronson, weaving his way past Szoboszlai and into the Reds’ box before his pass found Stach, who turned beautifully before driving the ball home to equalise!
Another hero soon emerged in Perri, who flew across the mouth of his goal to palm a Virgil van Dijk header away and keep the score level. But moments later, Liverpool were back into the lead as Szoboszlai ran onto a through ball from Gravenberch to tuck home.
From the restart, Leeds work the ball to Tanaka, but his firm effort was fielded simply by Allison. Aaronson, too, had an effort find only the arms of the visiting keeper.
Leeds continued throwing bodies forward, winning two 95th minute corners… from the second, Stach’s delivery went back post… and there was Tanaka! The Japanese international put his boot through the bouncing ball and pounded it home, once more bringing United level and sending Elland Road into deafening jubilation.
Shortly after, the full-time whistle was blown, the Whites fighting back incredibly from 2-0 and 3-2 down to the defending Premier League champions to earn a draw in the scintillating fixture.
FULL TIME: Leeds United 3-3 Liverpool
