Sky Bet Championship

Stoke City 0

Leeds United 3 (Dallas 42, Alioski 50, Bamford 66)

Stoke: Federici, Edwards, Lindsay, Collins, Etebo, McClean, Carter-Vickers (Allen 73), Clucas, Cousins, Duffy (Hogan 60), Gregory (Ince 73).  Subs not used: Butland, Batth, Smith, Campbell.

Leeds: Casilla, Dallas, White, Berardi, Alioski, Phillips, Forshaw, Klich (Shackleton 85), Harrison, Hernandez (Costa 80), Bamford (Nketiah 74).  Subs not used: Meslier, Struijk, Gotts, McCalmont.

Booked: Nketiah, Phillips (Leeds)

Referee: D. England

Venue: Bet365 Stadium

Attendance: 24,090 (2,913 Leeds)

 

Leeds United produced a fabulous away performance, defeating Stoke City 3-0 at the Bet365 Stadium.

After an even opening, Mateusz Klich struck on goal in the 11^th minute, forcing Adam Federici into a decent stop from 20 yards.

Soon after, Jack Harrison did well to break into the box, following a decent pass by Ezgjan Alioski and only a fine intervention from Cameron Carter-Vickers prevented his low ball from finding a Leeds player.

Leeds had a great chance to take the lead in the 15^th minute.  An Adam Forshaw strike deflected into the path of Pablo Hernandez and only a superb save from Federici denied him.  From the follow up, Klich’s deflected effort ended up in the hands of the Stoke stopper.

An audacious lob attempt by Hernandez from the halfway line went off target, before Klich teed up Stuart Dallas to strike, with his attempt going narrowly wide of the post.

Patrick Bamford then tried a shot on the turn from 20 yards and he almost found the top corner, with Leeds continuing to push for the breakthrough.

With three first half minutes remaining, Leeds took the lead.  Following some lovely build up play, Hernandez sent Dallas clean through on goal and the Northen Ireland international made no mistake, slotting home.

In stoppage time, Klich fired an effort on goal from 25 yards, forcing Federici into another decent save, as the Whites went in ahead at the break.

Half time: Stoke City 0-1 Leeds United



After the break Liam Lindsay saw a header saved by Kiko Casilla in a rare opportunity for the home side.

Leeds doubled the lead five minutes into the second period, Bamford played a delightful ball across the face of goal and Ezgjan Alioski was on hand to tap home.

Leeds continued to dominate and Harrison saw a curling effort from 20 yards go just the wrong side of the post.

Klich and Hernandez were narrowly off the mark with long range strikes, before the Whites added a third.  Forshaw played Alioski into the Stoke area with a wonderful through ball, the Macedonian was denied from a narrow angle, but there was no stopping Bamford with the rebound, netting his fourth goal of the campaign.

Casilla was tested by Stoke substitute Tom Ince, before Whites substitute Helder Costa was denied by a superb save from Federici with a strike from 25 yards.

Klich was then denied by the Stoke stopper after a corner came out to the Poland international as Leeds continued to press for a fourth.

In the final stages Forshaw should have extended the lead when he was picked out in the box with a great ball from Eddie Nketiah, but he couldn’t get the better of Federici, as the Whites had to settle for just the three goal victory.

Full time: Stoke City 0-3 Leeds United