REPORT: ASTON VILLA 2-3 LEEDS UNITED
Whites come from two behind to win.
Sky Bet Championship
Aston Villa 2 (Abraham 5, Hourihane 17)
Leeds United 3 (Clarke 56, Jansson 61, Roofe 90+5)
Villa: Nyland, Chester, Whelan (Bjarnason 73), McGinn, Bolasie (Hogan 83), Hourihane, Bree, Abraham, Hutton, Kodjia (El Ghazi 62), Elmohamady. Subs not used: Bunn, Davis, Adomah, Revan.
Leeds: Peacock-Farrell, Ayling, Jansson, Phillips, Davis (Shackleton 78), Klich, Forshaw, Alioski, Harrison (Clarke 45), Hernandez, Roofe. Subs not used: Huffer, Baker, Halme, Gotts.
Booked: Bolasie, McGinn (Villa), Klich, Alioski, Roofe (Leeds)
Referee: A. Madley
Venue: Villa Park
Attendance: 41,411
Kemar Roofe scored a dramatic 95th minute winner as Leeds United came from two goals down to defeat Aston Villa 3-2 at Villa Park.
Leeds were dealt a blow just ahead of kick-off, when Barry Douglas had to be withdrawn due to a sickness bug, so Leif Davis was handed a debut at left-back.
The Whites made the worst possible start to the game, going behind inside five minutes. Conor Hourihane’s through ball was tapped on by John McGinn to Tammy Abraham and he made no mistake from close range, firing home.
Leeds almost levelled soon after, Ezgjan Alioski sent Roofe to the byline, his cross found Jack Harrison, but he scuffed his effort at goal.
Davis then put in a good cross from the left and Alioski tried an acrobatic effort at goal, but his attempt was off target.
Jonathan Kodjia headed just wide for the home side from a corner, before Villa doubled their lead. Hourihane found the bottom corner with a fine strike from 25 yards, leaving Leeds with it all to do.
Leeds almost pulled a goal back through an unlikely source. An Alioski cross was headed backwards
by James Bree and only a fine save from Orjan Nyland prevented it from finding the top corner.
The Whites then had a great chance when Alioski played Mateusz Klich in on goal, but he couldn’t beat Nyland.
Pablo Hernandez saw a deflected effort well saved from the edge of the box and he again went close from a 25 yard free-kick, but his attempt went just inches wide.
On the stroke of half time, Alioski tried a curling effort from the edge of the box, but his curling strike was just wide of the mark.
Half time: Aston Villa 2-0 Leeds United
Leeds made one change at the break, with Jack Clarke replacing Harrison, but it was the home side who almost made it three. Kodjia stole possession from Adam Forshaw and broke into the Leeds box, but he couldn’t keep his effort down.
The Whites got back into the game in the 56th minute. Substitute Jack Clarke superbly worked his way into the Villa box, before finding the far corner with a fine curling effort, his first goal for the club.
Clarke almost got Leeds level soon after, he met an Alioski cross at the back post, but his header went just wide.
Leeds equalised in the 61st minute from a corner. Hernandez delivered and Pontus Jansson headed home to send the travelling Leeds support wild.
Klich then drove forward for the Whites, his cross headed towards goal and was going in, but for a fine save by Nyland.
Leeds saw a handball penalty appeal turned down at a corner, before James Chester fired the ball into the head of Roofe following a cross and the ball went just wide of the post.
Alioski then drove a fierce effort at goal, Nyland could only parry and Roofe was just inches away from getting on the end of the rebound.
In stoppage time Klich tested Nyland with an effort from 20 yards before there was late drama. In the fifth minute of added time Leeds broke up the pitch, Alioski’s cross was only cleared by Ahmed Elmohamady into the path of Roofe and he smashed home a winner into the far corner, to send Leeds United back to the top of the league, sparking wild scenes at Villa Park.
Full time: Aston Villa 2-3 Leeds United
