Match Recap: Leeds United 5-2 Cardiff City

Leeds United made light work of Cardiff City in the FA Cup third-round replay under the lights at Elland Road.

It took just 26 seconds for the home side to open the scoring as Willy Gnonto met Rodrigo’s ball over the top with a wonderful scissor-kick into the top-left corner of the net, setting Leeds in motion.

Scoring first and dropping off has been a bad habit of Jesse Marsch’s side this season but the killer instinct kicked in when Harrison found Rodrigo in the clear with an impressive pass, opening up room for the Spaniard to round the keeper and slot the ball into the bottom-left corner.

Gnonto was at it again just a few minutes later when he picked up the ball down the left channel, quickly brought it inside, and snuck it past the Cardiff keeper at his near post.

In the second half, Patrick Bamford returned to the Elland Road pitch after scoring against Aston Villa at the weekend. He made no mistake once again as he latched onto Luke Ayling long ball down the right-hand side. Bamford opened up his body, chested the ball down into the box and bent the ball around the far post.

He took his next chance just as well, as he was sent through by Joe Gelhardt soon after, and a quick touch and finish had the England international displaying his class despite so much time spent on the sidelines with injury.

Leeds just couldn’t help themselves but concede, though. After being let-off in the first-half with a disallowed goal for offside, Luke Ayling’s bizarre mistake late in the game allowed Callum Robinson to get a free header into the Leeds net. Robinson got another easy goal in stoppage time too after Marc Roca’s handball allowed Cardiff to cut the deficit to three from the penalty spot.