Report: Huddersfield Town 0-2 Leeds United
Whites keep winning streak going.
Sky Bet Championship
Huddersfield Town 0
Leeds United 2 (Alioski 50, Hernandez 78)
Huddersfield: Grabara, Schindler, Stankovic, Hadergjonaj, Duhaney, Koroma (Harratt 72), Hogg, Bacuna, Kachunga, Grant, Mounie (Daly 83). Subs: Coleman, Edmonds-Green, High, Austerfield, Jackson.
Leeds: Casilla, Dallas, Ayling, Berardi, Alioski, White, Klich (Casey 85), Hernandez, Harrison, Costa (Douglas 87), Bamford (Nketiah 77). Subs: Miazek, Hosannah, Gotts, Clarke.
Booked: Bacuna, Hogg (Huddersfield) Klich, Dallas, White (Leeds)
Referee: G. Ward
Venue: John Smith’s Stadium
Attendance: 23,805 (2,314 Leeds)
A wonderful volley from Ezgjan Alioski and header from Pablo Hernandez secured Leeds United victory against Huddersfield Town and a sixth successive Sky Bet Championship win.
Whites head coach Marcelo Bielsa was forced into two changes from the side which beat Middlesbrough 4-0 last weekend, with Kalvin Phillips and Liam Cooper missing out through suspension and injury.
Leeds nearly went ahead inside 15 minutes from a corner. Hernandez whipped in a low cross which was met by Mateusz Klich, but he saw his first time strike hit the post and bounce wide.
A Juninho Bacuna shot was well blocked by a combination of Luke Ayling and Gaetano Berardi, before Kiko Casilla made a fantastic save to deny a Steve Mounie header following a Bacuna free kick.
The Terriers again went close, this time from a corner, with Casilla on hand to make another good save to deny Mounie once more.
In the 27th minute, Leeds won possession deep into the Huddersfield half and Bamford struck at goal from 25 yards, but he couldn’t guide an effort on target.
Klich saw a strike deflect wide following a corner, before the Whites produced a well worked set-piece, with Gaetano Berardi almost getting his head on the end of it.
The home side nearly took the lead with five minutes of the first half remaining. With Mounie looking to latch onto a goal kick, Casilla punched away, but only as far a Karlan Grant, but fortunately for Leeds, skipper for the day Luke Ayling was on hand to head Grant’s effort over.
In stoppage of the first period, a quick throw-in saw Klich send Hernandez into the box and his cross fell to Helder Costa, but he could only fire over with a shot on the turn, as the two sides went into the break even.
Half time: Huddersfield Town 0-0 Leeds United
Leeds took the lead five minutes into the second half. A Hernandez corner fell to Alioski on the edge of the box and he thundered home a spectacular volley.
Soon after Alioski put in a nice cross which Bamford met with a glancing header, with his effort going just wide.
Hernandez fired a curling strike just off target, before Bamford saw a goal controversially ruled out by the offside flag, despite replays showing the goal should have stood.
Harrison then did really well down the left and only a fine stop by Kamil Gabara prevented Leeds from going further ahead.
In the 63rd minute Casilla made an unbelieveable save to keep Leeds in front, denying a Elias Kachunga header from point blank range.
Dallas again forced Gabara into action, before Costa fired over when a Alioski volley landed in his path.
Bamford was again denied before Leeds doubled the lead. Jack Harrison delivered a delightful cross from the left flank which was headed home by Hernandez to seal all three points.
Grant and substitute Matty Daly both fired wide in the closing stages as Leeds saw out the victory to take all three points and move to the top of the table.
Full time: Huddersfield Town 0-2 Leeds United
