Leeds 2-2 Brentford: Patrick Bamford levels in four-goal thriller

2 years ago 35

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Patrick Bamford returned from injury to score a stoppage-time leveller off the bench for Leeds against Brentford at Elland Road.

Tyler Roberts put the hosts in front at half-time, but two goals either side of the hour from Shandon Baptiste and Sergi Canos almost secured a second win in eight league games for the Bees.

Leeds' own injury issues continued to mount, with captain Liam Cooper hobbling off after 15 minutes to be replaced by Jack Harrison and Kalvin Phillips withdrawn in the second half.

Just shy of the half-hour mark, Roberts, making his 100th appearance for Leeds, opened the scoring. He stayed onside to steer home Raphinha's second cross in quick succession, after the Brazilian's initial effort was cleared by Pontus Jansson.

Luke Ayling, returning to the side after more than two months out, almost doubled the hosts' lead moments after the restart, heading Raphinha's free-kick towards the top corner only for Alvaro Fernandez to deny him with an acrobatic save.

Brentford levelled through Baptiste on 54 minutes, reacting quickest after Canos' cross was deflected, and placed a finish past Illan Meslier from the edge of the area.

The momentum changed and seven minutes later the turnaround was complete. Moments after missing a great opportunity Canos fired the Bees ahead, combining with Bryan Mbeumo before lashing home.

Bamford struck deep into added time, scrambling home a corner from close range to save Leeds' blushes.

Leeds' blushes saved despite second-half collapse

As well as both Cooper and Phillips to injury, Leeds lost their composure in a difficult second-half spell that almost proved costly.

At the break it had looked like there would only be one winner, with Brentford having lost striker Ivan Toney to a positive Covid-19 test prior to kick-off and lacking presence without him.

But after Ayling's header, something stirred inside Thomas Frank's men. They levelled and then took the lead in a flash, but squandered other chances in the interim. Leeds didn't know what had hit them.

Raphinha's impact dwindled as Bamford was summoned, and after a late victory over Crystal Palace in midweek there was another twist when the England forward popped up at the death after 11 weeks out.

Player of the match

BamfordPatrick Bamford

with an average of 7.58

Leeds United

Squad number9Player nameBamford
Squad number10Player nameRaphinha
Squad number23Player namePhillips
Squad number11Player nameRoberts
Squad number20Player nameJames
Squad number15Player nameDallas
Squad number2Player nameAyling
Squad number4Player nameForshaw
Squad number1Player nameMeslier
Squad number14Player nameLlorente
Squad number3Player nameFirpo
Squad number6Player nameCooper
Squad number22Player nameHarrison
Squad number43Player nameKlich

Brentford

Squad number15Player nameOnyeka
Squad number26Player nameBaptiste
Squad number11Player nameWissa
Squad number7Player nameCanós
Squad number19Player nameMbeumo
Squad number3Player nameHenry
Squad number6Player nameNørgaard
Squad number8Player nameJensen
Squad number5Player namePinnock
Squad number18Player nameJansson
Squad number4Player nameGoode
Squad number27Player nameJanelt
Squad number30Player nameRoerslev
Squad number40Player nameFernández

Line-ups

Leeds

Formation 3-4-3

1Meslier
2Ayling
14Llorente
6CooperSubstituted forHarrisonat 15'minutesBooked at 75mins
15Dallas
23PhillipsSubstituted forKlichat 55'minutesBooked at 79mins
4Forshaw
3FirpoSubstituted forBamfordat 68'minutesBooked at 90mins
10RaphinhaBooked at 85mins
11RobertsBooked at 29mins
20James

Substitutes

9Bamford
13Klaesson
19Rodrigo
22Harrison
35Cresswell
38Summerville
43Klich
46Shackleton
47Jenkins

Brentford

Formation 3-5-2

40Fernández
4GoodeBooked at 45mins
18Jansson
5Pinnock
30Roerslev
26BaptisteSubstituted forOnyekaat 69'minutes
6Nørgaard
27JaneltSubstituted forJensenat 90'minutes
3HenryBooked at 80mins
19Mbeumo
7CanósBooked at 55minsSubstituted forWissaat 72'minutes

Substitutes

2Thompson
8Jensen
9Forss
11Wissa
14Ghoddos
15Onyeka
36Stevens
41Cox
43Young-Coombes

Live Text

Match ends, Leeds United 2, Brentford 2.
Second Half ends, Leeds United 2, Brentford 2.
Patrick Bamford (Leeds United) is shown the yellow card for excessive celebration.
Goal! Leeds United 2, Brentford 2. Patrick Bamford (Leeds United) left footed shot from very close range to the high centre of the goal. Assisted by Luke Ayling following a corner.
Attempt missed. Luke Ayling (Leeds United) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Raphinha with a cross following a corner.
Corner, Leeds United. Conceded by Álvaro Fernández.
Hand ball by Mads Roerslev (Brentford).
Offside, Leeds United. Luke Ayling tries a through ball, but Patrick Bamford is caught offside.
Jack Harrison (Leeds United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Mads Roerslev (Brentford).
Substitution, Brentford. Mathias Jensen replaces Vitaly Janelt.
Tyler Roberts (Leeds United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Christian Nørgaard (Brentford).
Foul by Jack Harrison (Leeds United).
Frank Onyeka (Brentford) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Attempt missed. Raphinha (Leeds United) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Diego Llorente.
Attempt blocked. Bryan Mbeumo (Brentford) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Raphinha (Leeds United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Raphinha (Leeds United).
Yoane Wissa (Brentford) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

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