Leeds survived a seven-goal thriller away to Middlesbrough in the Championship round of 44. Leeds with Ilia Gruev Jr. won 4:3 at Riverside. In doing so, the Yorkshiremen kept alive their chances of winning direct promotion to the Premier League.
Ilia Gruev Jr started as a starter for Leeds and stayed on the pitch throughout.
Middlesbrough took a 1-0 lead in the 7th minute when Latte Lat assisted Isaiah Jones’ goal.
Leeds got the right to execute a penalty in the 14th minute, which Crisencio Somerville converted and thus equalized the result – 1:1.
Just four minutes later, Junior Firpo recorded his first assist of the match for Patrick Bamford’s strike to make it 2-1 to Leeds.
Middlesbrough managed to equalize in the 30th minute with a Latte Lat strike.
Leeds took the lead again – 3:2 in the 39th minute. Willy Nyonto received a lead pass behind the Middlesbrough defense and slotted the ball into Seni Dieng’s goal. Replays showed Nyonto was in an offside position when he received the pass.
Leeds missed a great opportunity in the 41st minute when Patrick Bamford was brought alone on the keeper but Seni Dieng saved.
Leeds took a 4-2 lead in the 61st minute with Crisencio Somerville’s second goal of the match.
The drama came to a head in the 87th minute when Latte Lat punished Ilan Mellieu for a very bad foul, heading it in for 3-4.
In the final minutes of the match, Ilan Mellieu made up for the error in the third goal and made a great save from Howson’s long-range shot.
Thus, Leeds rose to second place in the provisional standings with 90 points, one more than the third-placed Ipswich, but the “tractors” have a game in hand. Leicester is the leader with 91 points, but the “foxes” have a game less than Ilia Gruev Jr. and company.
In the next round, Leeds visit Queens Park Rangers.
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Tags: Sevengoal thriller Leeds Gruev step closer Premier League promotion
