LEEDS 2-2 NEWCASTLE: Rasmus Kristensen’s long-range strike sees Leeds claim a point
Leeds United missed the chance to break out of the relegation zone in a three-goal story on a crazy afternoon at Elland Road.
Patrick Bamford missed the chance to put Leeds 2-0 up from the spot after Luke Ayling’s early goal and Newcastle took full advantage to turn the game upside down with two successful penalties from Callum Wilson.
Rasmus Kristensen leveled the game with a strike off Kieran Trippier and in a frantic final, Junior Firpo was sent off and a fan led off after getting into the technical area and shoving Newcastle manager Eddie Howe.
Allardyce tried to get people laughing again at Elland Road and the crackling atmosphere exploded after seven minutes as the home side unexpectedly took the lead.
Patrick Bamford, United’s lone striker, popped up on the left and when his cross found Rodrigo, the Brazilian’s header looked destined to find the net until Nick Pope put out a strong left hand.
Before the home support could express their frustration, Ayling rushed in to send the rebound with his left foot.
The wild partying in the corner was enough to loosen Ayling’s man bun, which he had to re-do to keep his long locks in check.
The bedlam rattled Newcastle, who should have been comfortable favorites on league position alone – a spot in the Champions League.
Kieran Trippier playing a dangerous free-kick straight to the opposition was representative of their shaky start.
Allardyce’s line-up had caused a stir with Brenden Aaaronson, Willy Gnonto, Adam Forshaw and Illan Meslier on the bench, but the tactic of playing Robin Koch as midfield holder for the back-four was a clever attempt to tighten up the defence. .
Newcastle, themselves under a bit of pressure to finish in the top four due to Liverpool’s winning run, kept a good hold of the ball at times but looked stunned going into the final third, with Alexander Isak running dead to went down.
Leeds waited patiently and then should have struck. On 28 minutes, Junior Firpo broke into the penalty area from left back and Joelinton’s clumsy challenge failed to win the ball, leaving referee Simon Hooper with an easy decision to point to the spot.
There were fearful looks as Patrick Bamford, who was out of form, stepped forward to take the penalty and the fears came true when his left foot was quite high for Pope to parry and the ‘keeper scrambled away before the striker could get the rebound to get. .
It was as if someone had popped the balloon in the stadium and three minutes later Newcastle were level with a penalty of their own.
Isak and Bruno Guimaraes played a fine one-two and as the Swede charged into the box, Firpo slipped and Max Wober tried to make amends with a hasty challenge that clattered into Isak.
Callum Wilson did what Bamford couldn’t and buried his penalty low in the corner.
The subdued nature in the ground soon turned to anger as Leeds struggled to find their composure with the scoring level.
Miguel Almiron had nearly put the visitors ahead as his curler drifted past the far post and Allardyce would have been relieved to hear the half-time whistle so he could get his players into the dressing room to regroup.
The Forshaw experience was introduced to Sam Greenwood at the break as Leeds tried to maintain a degree of control in midfield. Newcastle still looked tidy, but found it harder to get into dangerous areas.
The first real opening of the second period fell to Wilson’s whose first shot deflected for a corner. At the break, Jack Harrison’s dummy gave Bamford a shooting opportunity, but Dan Burn came over quickly to block.
With the stakes higher, Bruno Guimaraes and Junior Firpo were booked in quick succession. Firpo’s tackle on Guimaraes was checked by VAR for a red card, but the studs weren’t high enough.
Leeds fans were energized again when Gnonto aired just after the hour mark, the Italian receiving an encouraging slap on the back from Allardyce’s sidekick, Karl Robinson.
No sooner had he arrived than Leeds conceded another penalty kick. In his attempt to carve out a cross aimed at Isak at the far post, Firpo flinched back and the ball hit his outstretched left hand.
The VAR saw what referee Hooper didn’t see and a penalty kick was awarded after the official visited the monitor.
Gnonto and Robles were booked before the penalty could be taken, with the Leeds goalkeeper running behind his goal to try and delay the shot.
The Spaniard then pointed left in an attempt to scare off Wilson, but failed as the striker drilled his finish through the centre.
Newcastle then shot the ball into the net for the third time through Alain Saint-Maximin. When it was ruled out against Isak for offside, the Toon bench asked the fourth official whether the VAR had checked.
In a frenzied spectacle, Leeds drew level after 79 minutes with a huge fortune. Bamford had two tries blocked and in a third-luck case, Rasmus Kristensen’s shot from outside the box deflected Kieran Trippier’s head, mis-footing Pope into the corner.
Firpo’s kamikaze display ended with a red card when he was caught by substitute Anthony Gordon and tumbled him. From the dangerous free-kick on the edge of the penalty area, Trippier hit the wall just as a fan was being led away after breaking into the technical area and shoving Eddie Howe.
Robles saved from Fabian Schar in seven minutes of stoppage time as both sides left relieved to go off with a point – but frustrated couldn’t take all three.