It took them five tries but Sheffield Wednesday’s Championship campaign has finally got underway as a hard-earned point frustrated Yorkshire rivals Leeds United.
The Owls were promoted from League One in May, but not much has gone right since then.
Darren Moore departed in appalling circumstances and successor Xisco Munoz had seen his team arrive at Elland Road as the only club in the EFL to take another point this season.
But in the end, Wednesday was a decent value for a result that stopped the rot and eased the mounting pressure on Munoz.
‘We’ve got a point, we’ve got a point’ chanted the traveling supporters after a first clean under Munoz, who lifted the Owls off the foot of the table, and over Middlesbrough on points difference.
Sheffield Wednesday took their first point of the season under manager Xisco Munoz
The Owls were promoted from League One in May, but not much has gone right since then
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Spaniard Munoz said: ‘The most important thing for me was the level of performance of the players.
“We had kept it clean and I think the team is getting better every day.
‘Now we have a two-week break. We have many things to improve, but this is one point in a stadium that is very difficult to play.
“I am very happy for the players, because they gave two hundred percent.”
Daniel Farke’s Leeds were largely dominant but couldn’t make it pay off and the visitors’ confidence grew as the game progressed with both goalkeepers making fine saves.
Club record signing Georginio Rutter, 21, had scored his first goal in last week’s thrilling 4-3 win at Ipswich but failed against the Owls, with Devis Vasquez denying him a great first-half stop.
Farke said: ‘I think in terms of performances at Ipswich he’s proven he’s in really good form.
“I was also a striker and sometimes you find it difficult to take advantage of your chances. You can’t really explain it.
Leeds United were left frustrated by local rivals Sheffield Wednesday at Elland Road
Daniel Farke’s side have won just one of their first five games of the Championship season
“It feels like Georginio is right now. The key is not to think too much.’
This Yorkshire derby capped off an eventful week for Leeds, which saw them win 4-3 at Ipswich, be dumped out of the Carabao Cup by League Two Salford and lose Luis Sinisterra to Bournemouth.
Home fans launched an anti-Sinisterra chant shortly after kick-off, but Leeds provided a brilliant opening in the 17th minute.
Crysencio Summerville played a one-two with Rutter on the edge of the 18-yard box before hitting a powerful right foot shot over the crossbar.
Leeds continued to search and in the 39th minute Summerville played in Rutter but a brilliant save from Vasquez saw him deflect the Frenchman’s shot.
Moments later, Wilfried Gnonto shot wastefully into the side netting, but Farke’s men picked up the pace after the break and were rewarded almost quickly.
Jamie Shackleton showed clever footwork to create the space to curl a right foot shot narrowly over the crossbar.
Summerville then played a one-two with Rutter before drawing another smart stop from Vasquez.
Moments later, Leeds skipper Luke Ayling greeted Gnonto’s left cross with a header that failed to hit the target.
On the other hand, Wednesday came close as Josh Windass was played in before Illan Meslier raced off his line to block the striker’s close range shot.
The visitors’ confidence grew and in the 72nd minute Callum Paterson shot wildly over the crossbar from close range.
The hosts were largely dominant that day, but ultimately failed to make it pay against the Owls
Leeds then saw a penalty claim ignored by referee Dean Whitestone after Gnonto went down under a challenge from Wednesday substitute Dominic Iorfa.
With 12 minutes remaining, Ethan Ampadu played into Rutter, but his left foot shot landed straight in Vasquez’s midriff and a huge chance was deflected.
Farke pitched new signings Djed Spence and Glen Kamara for their debut, but Windass came close again moments later.
Munoz and his players came to Elland Road to make a point – and in the end that’s exactly what they got.
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