Premier League 2

Leeds United 2 (Greenwood 19’, Dean 34’)

Arsenal 4 (Oulad M’Hand 24’, Biereth 46’, Balogun 55’ pen, Lopez 85’)

Leeds: Klaesson (GK), Moore, Cresswell (McCarron 45’), Kenneh, Firpo (Hjelde 30’), Jenkins, Bate, Greenwood, Summerville (McKinstry 45’), Miller, Dean.

Subs not used: Van Den Heuvel (GK), McGurk.  

Arsenal: Hein (GK), Swanson (Ideho 72’), Lopez, Monlouis, Rekik, Ogungbo (Taylor-Hart 22’), Norton-Cuffy, Akinola, Biereth, Oulad M’Hand (Henry-Francis 45’), Balogun (c).

Subs not used: Ejeheri, Buttler-Oyeoeji.

Mark Jackson’s Under-23s side were defeated at Elland Road in what was a match full of goals of chances throughout, under the lights.

In front of a superb crowd inside the stadium, the Whites got the game underway and were instantly on the front foot. The lively Crysencio Summerville got into the box after a nice ball from Nohan Kenneh and saw his effort well saved. 

Max Dean was then the next to create a chance, as he played in former Arsenal and now Leeds United forward, Sam Greenwood who saw his strike saved. 

Shortly after that, the Whites did take the lead, and it was through Greenwood’s excellent finish. The striker was free inside the box and found by Summerville after the tricky winger won the ball back, broke forward and picked him out.

Arsenal then equalised though, in their first real attack of the half. Salah Oulad M’Hand pounced on a defensive mistake and punished Leeds, curling his effort from outside the box into the top corner.

Leeds kept the pressure on though and went forward looking to re-take the lead, and found it 10 minutes before the interval. 

Dean picked up the ball on the half-way line and surged forward, before timing a pass perfectly to Lewis Bate. The midfielder then controlled and slipped Dean back through, for the striker to finish calmly at the near post. 

Kristoffer Klaesson was forced to make a stop shortly before the whistle and did just that, denying Kido Taylor-Hart’s powerful effort, which sent Leeds into the break with a goal advantage. 

HALF TIME: Leeds United 2-1 Arsenal 

Arsenal started the second half strongly and equalised instantly, as Mika Biereth pounced on a deflected ball inside the box to poke his effort over the line.

The turnaround was completed for the visitors shortly after, from the penalty spot. Klaesson came out to narrow the angle against Taylor-Hart but in doing so, brought down the attacker. Flo Balogun stepped up from the spot and sent the ‘keeper the wrong way to put Arsenal ahead. 

In response, Dean continued to be the biggest threat for Leeds. Firstly he picked up the ball outside the box and tried a curling effort which struck the inside of the post. His second effort moments later was from close range and forced Karl Hein into a superb save. 

As the clock started to tick down inside Elland Road, the superb crowd of 8,943 in attendance looked to support their team from the touchline as they searched for the equaliser. 

Leeds did leave themselves vulnerable to the counter though when going forward and after netting earlier in the match, Biereth had two great chances to settle the game but put his shots over the bar. 

The counter-attack continued to look a problem though and the Whites were punished from the next one. Balogun’s pace caused the issues as he got into the box and squared for Joel Lopez to tap home and secure the three points for Arsenal.  

FULL TIME: Leeds United 2-4 Arsenal 

Venue: Elland Road

Attendance: 8,943

Referee: Martin Coy