REPORT: LEEDS UNITED 0-0 PRESTON NORTH END

REPORT: LEEDS UNITED 0-0 PRESTON NORTH END

Whites held at Elland Road.

Sky Bet Championship 

Leeds United 0 Preston North End 0

It was a frustrating afternoon for Leeds United in the Sky Bet Championship as 10-man Preston North End held the Whites to a 0-0 draw at Elland Road.

Leeds made a bright start to the game, Eunan O’Kane did well and put a decent ball into the box, but neither Kemar Roofe or Chris Wood could get shots away.

O’Kane then played Ezgjan Alioski into the box, he cut inside before firing at goal and claimed a hand-ball, but no penalty was given and Preston goalkeeper Chris Maxwell gathered the deflected shot.

Alioski then almost gave Leeds the lead with a fine solo run, he weaved his way past two Preston players, but couldn’t find the target with his effort from the edge of the box.

Preston then threatened through Thomas Barkhuizen, he struck an effort from range, which went just wide of Felix Wiedwald’s goal.

Pontus Jansson was then robbed of possession in his own box by Jordan Hugill, he teed up Alan Browne, but Luke Ayling made a super block to deny him.

Five minutes before the break, Callum Robinson went close for the visitors, again from distance, he fired just inches over the bar.

Kemar Roofe then did well down the left flank, he tried to tee up Wood in the middle of the box, but the Preston defence scrambled the ball away.

Half Time: Leeds United 0-0 Preston North End

Preston had another good opportunity after the break, Hugill again teed up Browne, but he scuffed his shot and Wiedwald made a good save.

Three minutes before the hour mark, Preston thought they had taken the lead when Greg Cunningham volleyed home a free-kick via the crossbar, however his effort was ruled out for offside.

On the hour mark, Preston were reduced to ten men, when Ben Pearson fouled Kalvin Phillips on the counter attack, picking up his second yellow card of the game.

Leeds piled on the pressure on Preston following the red card, Cameron Borthwick-Jackson crossed for Wood, but he couldn’t direct his volley on target.

United substitute Ronaldo Vieira then had a good chance, a Whites free-kick fell to him in the box, but he could only fire wide.

With 17 minutes remaining, Hernandez played Wood through on goal one-on-one with a fine pass, but the New Zealand striker was denied by Maxwell and the re-bound went just behind the oncoming Alioski.

In the 79th minute, Vieira picked out fellow substitute Samu Saiz with a lovely ball into the box, but the Spaniard could only head straight at Maxwell.

Alioski then found Stuart Dallas at the back post, but he saw his header denied by a super save and from the rebound, Hernandez suffered the same fate.

In added time, Preston almost stole all three points, on the break, Josh Harrop saw a deflected effort denied only by the crossbar, as both sides had to settle for a draw.

Full Time: Leeds United 0-0 Preston North End

 

Leeds: Wiedwald, Ayling, Cooper, Jansson, Borthwick-Jackson (Dallas 82), O’Kane, Phillips (Vieira 61), Alioski, Hernandez, Roofe (Saiz 61), Wood.  Subs not used: Peacok-Farrell, Anita, Shaughnessy, Ekuban.

Preston: Maxwell, Cunningham, Pearson, Browne (Gallagher 90), Hugill, Johnson, Fisher, Spurr, Huntington, Barkhuizen (Harrop 65), Robinson.  Subs not used: Hudson, Vermijl, Horgan, Davies, Maguire.

 

Referee: S. Duncan

Booked: Vieira (Leeds), Cunningham, Pearson (Preston)

Sent Off: Pearson (Preston)

Venue: Elland Road

Attendance: 32,880 (671 Preston)

 

 

 

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