Sky Wager Championship Play-Off Semi-Remaining Second Leg
Leeds United 4 (Gruev 7’, Piroe 20’, Rutter 40’, Summerville 68’)
Norwich Metropolis 0
Leeds: Meslier (GK), Firpo, Ampadu (C), Piroe (Joseph 74’), Kamara, Summerville (Anthony 74’), Rodon, Grey, Georginio (Roberts 74’), Gnonto (James 69’), Gruev (Cooper 83’). Subs not used: Darlow (GK), Cresswell, Cooper, Shackleton, Gelhardt.
Norwich: Gunn (GK), Stacey, Gibson (McCallum 63’), Sargent (Sainz 46’), Barnes (van Hooijdonk 81’), Sara, McLean (C), Duffy, Nunez, Rowe (Sorensen 81’), Giannoulis (Fassnacht 63’). Subs not used: Lengthy (GK), Hanley, Batth, Fisher.
Referee: Jarred Gillett
Booked: Gruev, Georginio (Leeds) Rowe, McLean (Norwich)
Venue: Elland Highway
Attendance: 36,384
Leeds United booked their spot in subsequent weekend’s Sky Wager Championship Play-Off Remaining after an emphatic 4-0 demolition of Norwich Metropolis at Elland Highway.
Backed by over 36,000 on the evening, objectives from Ilia Gruev, Joel Piroe and Georginio Rutter noticed the Whites race right into a three-goal lead earlier than the break, with winger Crysencio Summerville including gloss to the scoreline after the interval.
It was Summerville who had the primary sight of objective for the hosts, selecting the ball up on the left flank earlier than darting in-field to search out Georginio. A deft back-heel from the Frenchman returned the favour for his teammate in behind however, from a slim angle, the winger was unable to work Angus Gunn within the Norwich objective.
The Canaries goalkeeper needed to be alert moments later, racing out to smother the ball after United skipper Ethan Ampadu appeared to search out the run of Piroe inside the realm from deep.
The strain was starting to mount nevertheless and shortly afterwards, Joe Rodon, marauding out from the backline with the ball gained a free kick in what appeared an ideal crossing place on the correct.
Bulgaria star Gruev mustn’t have gotten the memo nevertheless, charging onto the ball and whipping an inch-perfect free kick contained in the close to submit past the despairing dive of Gunn to place Leeds into the lead early on, to the delight of the Elland Highway trustworthy!
Eager so as to add a quick-fire second, the relentless begin from Daniel Farke’s aspect continued when Archie Grey, deployed as a full-back this time spherical, clipped an incisive cross to Wilfried Gnonto down the road.
The Italian worldwide charged ahead, ignoring the tireless run of Georginio and whipped an excellent supply to Piroe on the again submit, with the striker expertly heading again throughout Gunn to double his aspect’s lead! Elland Highway was rocking.
Moments after the restart, the Canaries virtually responded instantly, with Leeds keeper Illan Meslier available to make a elegant one-on-one save to disclaim Josh Sargent’s chipped effort, because the American striker latched on to a protracted ball from deep to race by on objective.
Two very almost grew to become three simply after the half-hour mark, when Rodon rose highest to satisfy a harmful Summerville nook from the left, glancing a header agonisingly vast of Gunn’s far submit, with the Norwich stopper left rooted to the spot.
Gnonto was subsequent to go shut, after being picked out following an excellent sequence of passing that finally noticed Piroe discover the ahead. On the sting of the realm, the 20-year-old struck a fizzing low drive that stung the palms of Gunn.
5 minutes earlier than the break, with Farke’s aspect below strain inside their very own half, a advantageous piece of talent noticed Piroe wriggle free and, benefitting from a Canaries highline, the striker raced away down the left flank.
Charging to the sting of the realm, Piroe slid an attractive supply throughout the face of objective, which after assist from Norwich’s Shane Duffy, fell to the toes of Georginio on the again submit who fired residence off the underside of the crossbar, sending Elland Highway into bedlam.
Seconds earlier than referee Jarred Gillett introduced an enthralling opening half to a detailed, Georginio virtually added a fourth following a objective line scramble, however amongst a sea of yellow shirts, the ahead was unable to get a shot away.
HALF TIME: Leeds United 3-0 Norwich Metropolis
Inside seconds of the restart, extra elegant soccer from the hosts created a gap for Piroe, with Georginio and Summerville combining excellently to search out the Dutchman. Inside the realm, the 24-year-old struck first time, forcing Gunn into a sensible save.
A flurry of possibilities would comply with, with Summerville first heading Grey’s in-swinging supply narrowly over, earlier than the Scotland worldwide was once more required for the guests, saving excellently along with his toes to disclaim the winger from the left.
With the Whites knocking on the door as they looked for a fourth, Gunn was once more referred to as into motion as United got here ahead as soon as extra, smothering the ball as Piroe formed to shoot.
Half-time substitute Borja Sainz had the Canaries’ first sight of objective within the second interval simply after the hour mark, driving a low strike in the direction of objective from distance, solely to see his tame, speculative effort hacked clear by Ampadu.
If Sainz’s shot was to present the guests any hope of an impressed comeback, these ideas had been shortly extinguished when Summerville lastly made it 4 down the opposite finish.
A scintillating transfer noticed Gnonto have a fierce try saved by Gunn, however the Norwich keeper may solely parry it into the trail of the onrushing Junior Firpo, whose cut-back left Summerville with the best of duties to faucet residence!
Additional possibilities got here and went for the hosts as Farke sprung the modifications in opposition to his former employers, with Elland Highway in advantageous voice because the Whites booked their date with future below the Wembley arch subsequent weekend.
Leeds United will meet the winner of Southampton versus West Bromwich Albion within the capital for an opportunity to earn promotion again to the Premier League.
FULL TIME: Leeds United 4-0 Norwich Metropolis