Leeds United vs. Cambridge United FA Cup quick recap: Whites advance in another tale of two halves

Pre-match Thoughts: It is FA Cup time! A good “cup starting XI” tonight for Leeds United, including Pontus Jansson and Souleymane Doukara, shows us that we want to take this tournament seriously. This game should be ours if we can dictate the game and impose our style of football onto Cambridge United. Silvestri has been a good cup goalkeeper for us this year, so I am excited to see how he does tonight in a hostile environment. We have firepower on the bench in case things somehow go south, but I think we have this game under control. My prediction? 3-1 Leeds.

• CHANCE! After a Cambridge corner comes to nothing in the 2nd minute, Alex Mowatt plays a ball to Antonsson whose shot clips the crossbar!
• 6 minutes in and Cambridge almost scores. They nearly capitalized on a defensive mistake by Leeds, Uche fires a shot on goal but Silvestri makes a good save to deny a goal.
• We are in the 18th minute as the ref calls for a stop in play as Pontus Jansson needs to receive treatment. But, he stays on and will continue.
• Pontus Jansson picks up a weak yellow card and Cambridge are taking a free-kick 25 yards out. Pontus will now miss his next two matches with that yellow card.

Goal Cambridge United. 1-0, 25 minutes in and Uche Ikpeazu gives the hosts the lead as the ball finds the back of the net. Not a good start here for the Whites.

• Berardi receives a yellow in the 28th minute after a sliding challenge. Still 1-0 Cambridge, lots of yellow for the Whites.
• SHOT! Alex Mowatt has a dipping shot from distance here in the 41st minute. The keeper Will Norris makes a great save to keep his side up.
• CHANCE! 42 minutes in and Dallas whips in a corner. Cooper’s header is on target and somehow denied at point blank range. Still 1-0.

HALF-TIME. Cambridge 1, Leeds 0.

Half-Time Thoughts: We have been incredibly poor tonight. Sloppy play from an over-confident side has the Whites behind and could possibly be forced to make a 3rd round exit. A substitution has to be made to show that we are serious, or we’ll be done before we can face Wimbledon/Sutton in the next round.

• A like for like substitution here at the beginning of the 2nd half, Lewie Coyle comes on for Gaetano Berardi.
• 50 minutes in and Leeds are still struggling. Cambridge almost scores as the ball falls to James Dunne but is denied by a great save from Marco Silvestri.
• Alex Mowatt strikes a low shot which is saved by Norris in the 50th minute, things are turning around now.

GOALLLLLLLLL!!!!! Alex Mowatt crosses the ball in from the left hand side and it is met by a flying Stuart Dallas!! It is all tied up here 1-1!

• SUBSTITUTION: Kemar Roofe comes on for Souleymane Doukara.

GOALLLLLLLLL!!!!! Dallas whips in a fine corner, Jansson gets his head on the ball and Alex Mowatt flicks it home! LEEDS ARE IN FRONT 2-1!!!

• SUBSTITUTION: Liam Cooper is injured, maybe badly, and he comes off and is replaced by Kyle Bartley. Leeds woefully short of defenders now.
• 83 minutes in and Uche Ikpeazu heads the ball just wide. It goes out for a Cambridge corner. 2-1.
• SUBSTITUTION: Ben Williamson replaces Max Clarke for Cambridge United.
• We are in the 89th minute now, and Leeds are lucky to have not conceded again. The ball finds Mingoia who takes a rip on goal, Silvestri can only parry and the ball dinks around the 18 yard box. Fortunately, it gets cleared out. Bad play from Marco there.
• 4 minutes will be added to the 90.
• 92 minutes in and Leeds win a corner... they will take their time on this.
• Dallas tries to shield the ball off the corner but fouls, as Cambridge take a free kick in the 93rd minute.
• 94th minute, the last kick of the game will be a Cambridge free kick. Norris comes up leaving the Cambridge goal open.
• Pontus Jansson clears the ball away AND THE FINAL WHISTLE BLOWS!!!! Leeds advance to the fourth round of the FA Cup with the 2-1 win!

Post-Match Thoughts: Not a great first half by any means, as Leeds looked sloppy and out of sorts. The 2nd half started and Leeds soon looked like a completely different team. They dictated possession and were able to score two goals. Now we advance to the 4th round. We will play away to the winner of AFC Wimbledon/Sutton United. It isn’t a home draw but playing against another lower league team will definitely be appreciated. Let’s keep this run going boys! MOT.