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Pre-Match Thoughts...
Two draws in the last two home games, and that needs to change today. If we are to contend with the top two, this game against a difficult opponent is a must win, and no better place to play it than at Elland Road. The lineup is missing Pontus Jansson, but I expect Leeds to be quick and poised in this game.... or it’ll be a long international break.
Kick-off!!!
Pablo Hernandez gets things going at Elland Road!
Ten minutes in and still no chances for either side, but both teams are playing well and pressing well.
23 minutes in now and Leeds win the first corner of the day, which is Pablo Hernandez’s to take. The corner is met by the head of Kyle Bartley but he can’t keep his effort on target. 0-0.
The next few minutes have gone Leeds’ way, with multiple free-kicks and corners going towards Wood’s way. Still no goals.
32’ Save! Rob Green makes a superb save to deny an own-goal for Liam Cooper. 0-0.
33 minutes in and Chris Wood goes down in the penalty box, with the crowd begging the referee for a penalty, but he waves play on.
The first card of the day comes in the 37th minute as Liam Rosenior is shown a yellow for his foul on Hadi Sacko on the right wing.
42’ Brighton receive a corner after a quick free-kick, and it is headed away by Chris Wood!
RIght before halftime here and Gaetano Berardi fires a long-range shot that ricochets to Chris Wood but he can’t control it.
Half Time
It has been a game that has produced no goals so far, but a lot of thrilling action. If Leeds can keep the counter-attacks to a minimum, we should be fine defensively. Chris Wood needs a goal in the second-half to make Elland Road happy.
Second half kicks off
54’ in and Pedraza has a half chance, but Brighton end up with the goal-kick. Leeds picking up the pace
In the 56th minute, Rob Green does well to punch away a Brighton corner.
Chance! Berardi crosses and the Brighton defender misses it, it falls to Chris Wood who is denied by Stockdale, and it is unfortunately still 0-0.
GOALLLLLL!!!!!!
63 minutes in and Charlie Taylor’s cross finds Chris Wood who puts it in the back of the net as Elland Road erupts!! 1-0!!
67 minutes in and Glenn Murray is shown a yellow card for his foul on Pedraza.
69 minutes in and Brighton have a corner. Rob Green does a great job to tip the ball over for another Brighton corner, and the corner nutmegs a fellow Brighton player and it goes out for a Leeds goal-kick.
72 minutes in and Glenn Murray has a great chance for Brighton but his shot is fired wide. Still 1-0.
Substitution: 75 minutes in and Pedraza comes on for Souleymane Doukara.
In the 80th minute and Rob Green does well to tip away March’s cross.
Substitution: Garry Monk makes another substitution here in the 81st minute as Hadi Sacko is replaced by Stuart Dallas. Still 1-0.
PENALTY!
Souleymane Doukara goes down in the box and the ref awards a penalty! Chris Wood to take it here in the 85th minute...
GOALLLLLL!!!!!!
Chris Wood buries the penalty and the three points Leeds United deserve are theirs for the taking!
Substitution: Garry Monk makes his final change as Pablo Hernandez is replaced by Eunan O’Kane. 2-0.
The referee has indicated that there will be at least three minutes of added time. 90’.
THE REF BLOWS HIS WHISTLE AND LEEDS UNITED SECURE ALL 3 POINTS!
A second-half brace by Chris Wood sees Leeds send second-place Brighton away with no points!
FULL TIME: LEEDS UNITED 2 - BRIGHTON 0. TOO GOOD. ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE. pic.twitter.com/AsAnVB4OM4
— Through It All LIVE (@ThruItAllLIVE) March 18, 2017
A statement game and a game which showed that Leeds are indeed the real deal. A jumping Elland Road went into dreamland as Chris Wood buried the penalty, and Leeds are looking upwards now once again. Leeds’ next game is an away trip to Reading after the international break, which should not faze Monk and his men at all. Here’s to another victory! More on the blog about this one in the coming days. MOT!!