Pre-Season: Leeds United 1 Crystal Palace 1

Jesse Marsch's side played their final match of the pre-season tour to Australia, taking on Crystal Palace at the Optus Stadium in Perth. A hard-fought match from both teams saw the goals come in the second half, as the sides drew the friendly clash.

A competitive opening to the encounter saw both teams pick up early bookings in the game, through late challenges in attempts to win back the ball. David Ozoh was the first to be carded, swiftly followed by Diego Llorente for Leeds, whilst then Joachim Andersen also added his name to the referee’s notebook.

A quick counter-attack up the pitch saw the Eagles trying to test the Leeds defence and it did so, with Robin Koch well placed to make an important block from Odsonne Édouard’s acrobatic effort inside the box.

Leeds made two changes early in the game. Firstly, Luis Sinisterra was replaced by Rodrigo due to injury, whilst Adam Forshaw went off just after the half-hour mark meaning Marc Roca entered the action.

A first real chance of the half came for the Whites when Robin Koch played a pinpoint ball into the feet of Patrick Bamford, who in turn flicked it in behind for Rodrigo.

The Spaniard collected the ball and burst into the box but was caught in two minds when approaching Vicente Guaita’s goal, whether to cross or shoot, and in the end the ball went behind for goal-kick and didn’t trouble the ‘keeper.

With full-back Tyrick Mitchell picking up the third yellow card for Palace and the fourth overall in the first half, set-pieces were contributing towards the possibility of chances, but nothing of note arrived from them.

Shortly before the interval in a half that had seen Leeds in control for the majority, another well-worked move from Marsch’s side created an opportunity for Bamford, but the striker saw his powerful effort go narrowly over the bar.

That was to be the final effort on goal in the opening 45 minutes at the Optus Stadium, meaning the teams went in level.

HALF TIME: Leeds United 0-0 Crystal Palace

As is the norm during pre-season, a number of changes occurred during the break meaning fresh faces were introduced for the second half. Crysencio Summerville, Sam Greenwood, Joe Gelhardt and Dan James all entered the action in a new-look attacking line-up, whilst Leo Hjelde came on to take his place in defence.

Straight into the action, the substitutes combined to win Leeds an early penalty in the second half. Greenwood switched play to Kristensen who in turn found Summerville and as the winger entered the box he was fouled by Joel Ward, and the referee pointed to the spot.

Rodrigo had to wait to take the penalty whilst Palace players protested the decision, but the forward showed his composure to fire into the bottom corner, sending Guaita the wrong way and putting Leeds a goal ahead!

After scoring the penalty, the Spaniard went off to be replaced by Mateusz Klich and to make it a double change, Darko Gyabi came on for the previously introduced Marc Roca with 30 minutes to go.

The Whites had a big chance to double the lead, once again with Greenwood creating. He played a defence splitting pass for Gelhardt and with the ‘keeper rushing out the striker looked to chip him, but Guaita’s got fingertips to the effort and turned it wide.

Straight up the other end, Palace equalised. Jordan Ayew found space to run through one-on-one and he had time to square it for Jean-Philippe Mateta to turn home, despite the best efforts of Klich looking to block the chance.

In the final part of the game, Gelhardt once again forced an excellent save out of Guaita from a powerful strike, whilst Illan Meslier was called into action to deny Palace’s Killian Phillips, prior to the full time whistle bringing the match to a close when level.

FULL TIME: Leeds United 1-1 Crystal Palace

Pre-season Friendly

Leeds United 1 (Rodrigo 56’ pen)

Crystal Palace 1 (Mateta 67’)

Leeds: Meslier (GK), Forshaw (C) (Roca 33’ (Gyabi 61’)), Koch (Hjelde 45’), Aaronson (Greenwood 45’), Bamford (Gelhardt 45’), Adams (Summerville 45’), Llorente, Struijk (James 45’), Harrison, Sinisterra (Rodrigo 14’ (Klich 61’)), Kristensen. Subs not used: Klaesson (GK), Christy (GK), Davis, Gray.

Palace: Guaita (GK), Ward, Mitchell, Milivojevic, Ayew (Street 84’), Mateta (Adaramola 84’), Andersen, Clyne, Edouard (Phillips 80’), Rak-Sakyi, Ozoh (Ebiowei 65’). Subs not used: Matthews (GK), Banks, Boateng, Ola-Adebomi, Quick, Siddik, Akinwale, Raymond, O’Brien, Rodney.

Venue: Optus Stadium

Attendance: 33,919

Referee: Daniel Elder

Booked: Ozoh, Andersen, Mitchell, Ward, Milivojevic (Palace) Llorente, Greenwood (Leeds)

Pre-Season: Leeds United 1 Crystal Palace 1

Last updated : 25 July 2022 By leedsunited.com

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