Sky Bet Championship
Swansea City 3 (Darling 8’, Cullen 45’, Bianchini 90’)
Leeds United 4 (Solomon 20’, 73’, Cabango og 55’, Gnonto 90’)
Swansea: Vigouroux (GK), Key, Cabango, Darling, Allen (Fulton 56’), Grimes (C), Tymon, Franco (Bianchini 75’), Cullen, Peart-Harris, Ronald (Abdulai 84’).Subs not used: McLaughlin (GK), Vipotnik, Tjoe-A-On, Christie, Naughton, Abbey.
Leeds: Meslier (GK), Bogle, Rodon, Struijk (C), Byram (Wober 84’), Tanaka, Rothwell (Guilavogui 84’), Solomon (Gnonto 75’), Aaronson, James (Debayo 90’), Piroe (Joseph 74’). Subs not used: Darlow (GK), Bamford, Ramazani, Crew.
Referee: Dean Whitestone
Booked: Peart-Harris (Swansea) James, Byram (Leeds)
Venue: swansea.com Stadium
Attendance: 17,125
Leeds United scored a dramatic stoppage time winner to claim three points against Swansea City, moving the Whites to the top of the table.
Returning to action following the international break to take on a City side who had only lost once on home turf so far this season, a thrilling encounter ended with a Willy Gnonto winner in added time.
This was the last Sky Bet Championship fixture of the weekend, so both teams knew where three points would take them in the table as they emerged from the tunnel, looking to get on the front foot straight away.
It was Leeds who had the first chance inside the opening two minutes. Manor Solomon had won his team a corner, Joe Rothwell whipped it in and Dan James slid in at the back post to fire over the bar after it had been flicked on to him.
Still inside the opening 10 minutes, the hosts went into the lead, from a set-play. Matt Grimes whipped a free-kick towards the back of the area and running onto it and volleying home was Harry Darling, to put Swansea ahead.
Leeds had a sustained spell of pressure after conceding, with the majority of the play coming down Swansea’s right. Sam Byram, Solomon and Brenden Aaronson constantly linked up and looked to get in behind.
With 20 minutes gone, the Whites were back on level terms, after an excellent team move. Pascal Struijk began it and he played James through into the box, the forward was clever and looked up then rolled it perfectly into the path of Solomon to slot home the leveller and his first for the club!
In what had been entertaining opening period, both teams were looking to attack and push forward when they could. The majority of the clash at either end was being played on the wings, keeping the full-backs busy on each side.
Despite the attacking nature and clear intent to get into the box, there were few clear chances. That was until the end of the opening 45 minutes.
In the third minute of time added on at the end of the first half, the Swans regained the lead. A quick break forward saw Ronald play a pass inside for Liam Cullen, who struck home first time from the edge of the box, via a deflected and then flicking the inside of the post along the way.
HALF TIME: Swansea City 2-1 Leeds United
Back out under the rain soaked turf in South Wales, neither side had made a change during the break. The instruction was clear for the Whites, to go out and look for a way back onto level terms.
The hosts began the half a goal ahead, after scoring right on the whistle in the first, and were defending well to keep out Farke’s side early in the second period. Rothwell, Piroe and James all had early efforts on the home goal, but none of them troubled Lawrence Vigouroux early on.
Just 10 minutes into the half and Leeds were level! Again it was James causing all the issues with his pace on the wing to create another opening.
The Welshman burst clear from Bogle's ball and looked to slide his own pass across the box for the awaiting Joel Piroe to tap home, but Ben Cabango turned it into his own net when trying to clear it!
With 20 minutes to play and the scores still level, Farke looked to his bench. Mateo Joseph and Gnonto were the players waiting to come on, but whilst ready on the touchline, they saw their side go ahead.
Struijk picked out a brilliant pass to Byram over the top, the full back ran into the space and found Solomon with a pinpoint ball in the box, for the winger to smash home his second off the underside of the bar!
The changes were then made, with Piroe and Solomon leaving the pitch, for the previously mentioned duo waiting patiently on the touchline. They were joined shortly after by another double change, as Max Wober and Josuha Guilavogui came on.
As expected, Swansea were pushing forward as the game approach its ending. Fresh off the bench, Azeem Abdulai had a good chance at the back post but powered his header over, then moments later, Josh Key forced Illan Meslier to make a good diving save from his strike on goal.
In the 90th minute, Swansea levelled. A low ball into the box from the left found substitute Florian Bianchini and he turned home powerfully at the near post, which looked to have claimed his side a point.
The drama wasn’t over though, and from the next attack, Leeds scored again! More intricate football allowed James to get his third assist of the game, feeding Gnonto with a superb pass into the box, the Italian international then showed his class to slot home and send the travelling crowd wild!
When the full-time whistle sounded shortly after, it brought a thrilling 90 minutes to a close and secured a big three points for Farke’s side in South Wales.
FULL TIME: Swansea City 3-4 Leeds United
