Leeds United rounded off their journey to the fourth round of the FA Cup with a narrow 1-0 victory against Harrogate Town at their home ground.
The determined Largie Ramazani header in the second half sealed the local derby.
First Competitive Meeting Between Rivals
Leeds and Harrogate have played each other in pre-season friendly games on numerous occasions, but this was the first time they faced each other in a competitive game.
Daniel Farke decided to bench a few of the key players but still made a strong team against the League Two side.
Leeds had possession of the ball but were unable to break through Harrogate’s solid defence.
Leeds’ Mateo Joseph came close to scoring when his shot hit the crossbar but missed out on scoring, but the half ended goalless.
Ramazani Delivers the Winning Moment
As Manor Solomon came extremely close to putting Leeds United in a comfortable position, hitting the crossbar in the process, the deadlock remained unbroken at the start of the second half.
There was pressure on Leeds United, as the force was apparently being shifted towards them.
An impeccably angled cross by Solomon saw Largie Ramazani on the other end ready to head it home, a perfect example of teamwork to finally break the deadlock.
Although Ramazani was the one to head the ball, Solomon’s cross played a crucial role in making the goal possible.
Despite strong pressure from Harrogate, Leeds United retained their focus and won the match.
Player Ratings
Several players stood out in the match, with some making their mark after a slow start:
- Largie Ramazani (8/10): The standout player of the match. Ramazani was a constant threat, and his goal proved decisive. His quick thinking and sharp touches kept Harrogate’s defence on edge throughout the game.
- Karl Darlow (8/10): The goalkeeper had little to do in the first half but showed his quality after the break with key saves and commanding catches to keep Harrogate at bay.
- Isaac Schmidt (7/10): Impressive in his first start for Leeds, Schmidt offered creativity from right-back and made crucial defensive contributions in the second half.
However, some players struggled to shine:
- Willy Gnonto (4/10): Despite showing pace and early promise, his crosses were inconsistent, and he struggled to make a significant impact.
- Ethan Ampadu (5/10): Solid defensively but lacked creativity in distribution, contributing to a slow midfield display.
Looking Ahead
Leeds have beaten Harrogate but still have something to work on.
Farke managed to nip some differences arising out of Leeds’ problem in constructing consistent attacks and in breaking down the sides on the defensive end.
He will certainly take these into consideration for the next round of the FA Cup given that the challenges will be steeper.
As for the fans, the hopes are still the same, they would love to see Leeds serve them with a better game than this one in the upcoming matches.
For the time being, the aim is to ensure there’s constant improvement across the board while ensuring better performance in the league and the cup respectively.
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