Leeds United 2-1 Watford FC: FLW report as Daniel Bachmann endures tough Elland Road evening | OneFootball

Report, ratings, reaction and more from Elland Road as Leeds United take on Watford.

Daniel Bachmann gifted Leeds United two goals in the space of three minutes as Watford fell to a 2-1 defeat at Elland Road.

Leeds benefitted from two Bachmann howlers inside seven minutes, as he spilled Largie Ramazani's shot over the line and parried a simple chance the way of Brenden Aaronson.

Watford battled back in the second-half through Kwadwo Baah and looked much more like a side threatening a play-off push on the evidence of their second 45, pushing a Leeds side tussling for top spot in the Championship.

Leeds United 2-1 Watford FC

Bachmann endures Elland Road horror show

It was a nightmare start for Tom Cleverley's goalkeeper, Daniel Bachmann, who single-handedly gifted Leeds a two-goal lead inside the opening seven minutes.

A shot from the edge of the penalty area from Largie Ramazani was powerful, yet straight at the Watford goalkeeper, who spilled an easy claim behind him and over the goal line - technology confirmed the goal.

Only three minutes later, it was 2-0 to Daniel Farke's Whites, with Bachmann parrying a Gnonto cross into the path of Brenden Aaronson and the USMNT international making no mistake stroking the ball into the net.

Leeds could have had more in those opening exchanges - Bachmann denied Gnonto, having watched the Italian flash the ball across his goal earlier in the episode.

Junior Firpo and Ao Tanaka failed to convert a Joe Rothwell corner, but Watford weren't without threat - Giorgi Chakvetadze forcing Illan Meslier into a full-stretch save.

Cleverley inspired a much brighter start to the second-half despite his side being somewhat lucky to be only two goals behind at half-time.

Kwadwo Baah got the better of Leeds' left-edge defence too easily and was rewarded for that work when his cross fell back to him, allowing a simple finish into Meslier's goal.

Tom Ince forced Meslier to claw away a free-kick on the hour, as Watford pressed for an equaliser - Cleverley letting his passion get the better of him, picking up a yellow card.

Jayden Bogle's cross hit Bachmann's post and Joel Piroe couldn't convert the rebound on a wasteful night for the Dutchman.

Manor Solomon - on as a first-half substitute for the injured Ramazani - went close twice and Mateo Joseph could only head over Bachmann's crossbar after a Daniel James cross.

The golden chance to seal the points then fell to Joseph, as he latched onto another James cross, but headed tamely at Bachmann.

James' rising drive was more of a test for the Watford goalkeeper, who was battling to keep his side in the game and make amends as Leeds looked for a third to ease the building Elland Road tension.

That goal never came, but neither did a late Watford onslaught as the points remained in West Yorkshire.

Leeds United v Watford FC attendance

34,968

Player ratings

Leeds United

Illan Meslier - 6

Jayden Bogle - 7

Joe Rodon - 7

Pascal Struijk - 6

Junior Firpo - 6

Ao Tanaka - 8

Joe Rothwell - 7

Willy Gnonto - 6 (Dan James - 6)

Brenden Aaronson - 7

Largie Ramazani - 7 (Manor Solomon - 6) ((Sam Byram - n/a))

Joel Piroe - 6 (Mateo Joseph - 5)

Karl Darlow

Patrick Bamford

Isaac Schmidt

James Debayo

Charlie Crew

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Watford FC

Championship table

Leeds move level on points with Sunderland at the top

Farke praises Tanaka

"I'm not surprised, I'm impressed"

Leeds are without Ethan Ampadu and Ilia Gruev - Farke's two holding midfield options. That has forced him to partner Ao Tanaka with Joe Rothwell in central midfield, with the former tasked with playing the deeper No.6 role.

Farke was full of praise for the Japan international post-match.

"I wouldn't label it surprised as I was fully convinced of him," Farke told his press conference. "That's why we signed him and that's the reason I was, last season, after him and wanted to sign him and didn't manage to.

"I'm happy he's with us, but you couldn't expect he had such a bright start.

"He is impressive in the crucial moments. Right now, he has to defend more than his actual (natural) game, because he's actually quite good going forwards.

"I'm impressed by this, not surprised. I'm pretty happy, he's doing an excellent job so far and today he was my warrior."

Cleverley discusses Bachmann mistakes

The Watford goalkeeper was deemed fit enough to play

Bachmann was in the spotlight for the wrong reasons tonight, gifting Leeds two goals.

Post-match, Cleverley branded those mistakes "freak" and did not hide behind any potential injury following a niggle in Saturday's defeat to Luton Town.

The Watford boss told his press conference: "Nothing to do with his fitness for those ones (the goals). Just two freak mistakes that you don't normally see from Dan.

"He's one of the best shot-stoppers in the league. He's won us a lot more points than he has lost us, but tonight wasn't his best evening."

Cleverley also revealed that Watford put Bachmann through his paces with a fitness test before today's game.

He continued: "We went through a really strong fitness test yesterday to prove his fitness. We didn't want to see a repeat of Saturday where, after 10 minutes, you could clearly see he wasn't fit. There was no injury - he had a little tweak on Friday that we thought was fine on Saturday but wasn't.

"We made him go through a strong fitness test that he passed clearly, and the goals were nothing to do with that."