Leeds United vs Millwall. Sky Bet Championship.
Elland RoadAttendance34,006.
Report and highlights from a pulsating Sky Bet Championship clash at Elland Road
Wednesday 29 January 2020 09:04, UK
Leeds United came from two goals down to beat Millwall 3-2 and surge to the top of the Sky Bet Championship, with Patrick Bamford at the double.
The annual Leeds wobble looked in full swing at half-time at Elland Road on Tuesday night after an early header from Shaun Hutchinson (4) and a Jed Wallace penalty (23).
Marcelo Bielsa's men were on course for a fourth straight defeat but an epic performance after the break, full of intensity, quality and, most importantly, clinical finishing, turned the game around.
Bamford sparked the comeback with a close-range finish (48) before Pablo Hernandez smashed home from the edge of the box (62) to draw Leeds level.
With Leeds' new signing Jean-Kevin Augustin watching on from the sidelines, Bamford completed the comeback with another poacher's finish (66) to push Leeds two points clear at the summit after West Brom lost at Cardiff.
With just one win in their last eight games, there was a nervousness around Elland Road which transmitted to the players in the early stages and Millwall sensed their opportunity.
The Lions had tasted defeat just once in their previous 13 matches and took an early lead.
Hutchinson bruised his way past Luke Ayling from a left-wing corner and bulleted a header from close range into the far corner. The Leeds marking was non-existent.
It looked to be a case of the same old story for Leeds and Bamford in particular as he shot straight at Bartosz Bialkowski from 12 yards as the visiting goalkeeper was called into action at regular intervals.
A failure to take advantage of their silky build-up play cost Leeds as they fell 2-0 down on 23 minutes.
Despite appeals from Leeds players that Ryan Woods has dribbled the ball out of play, Jon Dadi Bodvarsson charged into the area and was fouled by Gjanni Alioski. To the annoyance of the home crowd, referee Darren England waved the protests away and Wallace stroked home from the spot.
Leeds needed an early goal after the break to lift their crowd and got it three minutes into the second half.
The lively Jack Harrison flicked a near-post header at goal following a corner but Bialkowski made a superb point-blank, however, Bamford was alive to the situation and thrashed home from no more than a yard out.
With the home side roaring their boys on, Millwall slipped deeper and were punished by Hernandez on 62 minutes. His strike from the edge of the box wasn't the cleanest of his career but a slight deflection took it away from Bialkowski and found the bottom corner.
With the game descending into a gung-ho festival of football, the turnaround was complete on 66 minutes when Bamford nodded in unmarked from Ayling's precise cross.
Helder Costa hit the crossbar in the closing stages and Mateusz Klich somehow blazed over inside the box after some fantastic build-up down the left by Harrison and Hernandez.
After registered 28 shots in the match, the comeback was a deserved one. And a potentially crucial one in their bid to reach the promise land.
Pushed close by Harrison, Hernandez answered the call when his team needed his creative spark after the break. Playing in the pocket, Millwall found it almost impossible to pick him up as the playmaker moved the ball between the lines with perfect precision and provided his wide men with sublime service. He got his goal his performance deserved with a well-placed half-volley to bring the game level. On this showing, there's no better player in the Sky Bet Championship.
Leeds United's Marcelo Bielsa: "It's not what I said which provoked the change. Maybe the match looked like it was strange, but it's a copy of all our matches. A lot of chances to make three goals, the opponent goals were similar to what we normally concede.
"At the end of the match it was uncomfortable and not calm, but in both halves we had a lot of chances. We played very well in attack. It is similar to most of our matches. In the second half it was easier when we were playing in more space."
Millwall's Gary Rowett: "I'm disappointed, but overall we've been given a lesson. They (Leeds) were thoroughly deserved winners. Ten days without a game has probably benefitted Leeds which you saw with the running and energy.
"We knew this was a tough place to come. To get in at half-time 2-0 up, we didn't perform well enough after that.
"We conceded a poor goal just after half-time and then they get a deflection for the second and their third, we stand off the crosser. We created some opportunities in the game but we didn't pass the ball enough today."
Leeds host Wigan Athletic on Saturday while Millwall will look to get back to winning ways at Sheffield Wednesday.
