REPORT: LEEDS UNITED 0-0 NOTTINGHAM FOREST

REPORT: LEEDS UNITED 0-0 NOTTINGHAM FOREST

Whites held at home.

Sky Bet Championship

Leeds United 0-0 Nottingham Forest

Leeds United were left to rue missed chances, as the Whites were held goalless draw with Nottingham Forest at Elland Road in the first match of 2018.

The Whites made two changes from the side that started in the lost at Birmingham City on Saturday with Eunan O’Kane and Samuel Saiz returning to the starting line-up.

Leeds had the first real attack of the game in the second minute when Pablo Hernandez strode forward only to see his shot easily gathered by Smith from the edge of the box.

Captain Liam Cooper was then the hero of the hour when his last ditch challenge denied Ben Brereton a certain shot on goal, after he had been played through.

The Whites had a brilliant chance to open the scoring from a set-piece, Pontus Jansson met Pablo Hernandez’s corner, but his header was cleared off the line by Kieran Dowell and Kemar Roofe could only hook the rebound over the bar.

It was Jansson again who had another chance, again from a Hernandez corner, but this time his header dropped just wide.

Leeds were then dealt with an injury blow and forced into a change, when Luke Ayling went off following an innocuous challenge with former Whites skipper Liam Bridcutt and he was replaced by Vurnon Anita.

Half Time Leeds United 0-0 Nottingham Forest

Leeds made their second change of the game at half time with stiker Pierre-Michel Lassoga coming on in place of Ezgjan Alioski.

It was the hosts who had the first chance of the second half in the 53rd minute when Kalvin Phillips fired just over from distance.

Leeds should have opened the scoring two minutes later, after fantastic approach play by Samuel Saiz, he found Roofe in space in the box, but he saw his shot cannon off the crossbar.

United continued to look for a breakthrough, Roofe charged forward, but he fired over from range, with other options around him.

Felix Wiedwald was then called into action, making a superb save to tip Ben Osborn’s 25 yard deflected strike over the crossbar.

Dowell then had another chance for the visitors, when he was played into the box by Matthew Cash, but his low shot was well saved by Wiedwald.

Jansson again went close from another set-piece, Hernandez delivered a free-kick, but the Swedish defender saw his header saved by Smith.

Lasogga then did well to beat the offside trap, he tried his luck from long range but his effort went over the bar.

Saiz again continued to problem the Forest defence, this time he fed Hernandez into the box, but Smith made a fine save to deny him.

Leeds nearly broke the deadlock four minutes from time, a hanging cross from Hadi Sacko found the head of Lasogga, but he couldn’t get enough power on his looping header to beat Smith.

Six minutes of injury time were issued and Lasogga saw a shot from a narrow angle denied and Hernandez fired wide a half volley as Leeds had to settle for a point.

Full Time Leeds United 0-0 Nottingham Forest

 

Leeds: Wiedwald, Ayling (Anita 26), Jansson, Cooper, Berardi, Phillips, O’Kane, Alioski (Lasogga 46), Hernandez, Saiz, Roofe (Sacko 80), Subs not used: Lonergan, Cibicki, Shaughnessy, Klich

Forest: Smith, Lichaj, Mancienne, Traore, Bridcutt, Mckay (Carayol 74), Osborn, Cash, Brereton (Walker 60), Dowell, Worrall: Subs not used: Henderson, Fox, Clough, Vaughan, Bouchalakis.

 

Referee: J Simpson

Booked: Jansson, Saiz (Leeds United), Lichaj, Carayol, (Nottingham Forest)

Attendance: 32,426 (917 Forest)

Venue: Elland Road

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