Leeds United and Crystal Palace clash ends in stalemate | OneFootball

Premier League

Leeds United 0

Crystal Palace 0

Leeds: Trafford (GK), Bogle (James 67’), Gudmundsson (Bahoya 90’), Ampadu (C), Muharemović, Calvert-Lewin, Stach, Okafor (Nmecha 75’), Tanaka (Aaronson 67’), Justin, Elvedi. Subs not used: Zetterer (GK), Longstaff, Bijol, Bard, Gruev.

Palace: Benítez (GK), Mitchell, Canvot, Pino (Sarr 81’), Tomiyasu (Lerma 46’), Kamada, Wharton (C), Strand Larsen (Nketiah 81’), Timber, Khalaili, Richards. Subs not used: Matthews (GK), McNeil, Osorio, Doucouré, Mingueza, Chilwell.

Venue: Elland Road | Attendance: 36,462 | Referee: Adam Herczeg | Booked: Bogle, Tanaka (Leeds) Wharton, Pino (Palace)

Leeds United stretched their unbeaten start to the Premier League season to five games with a 0-0 draw at home against Crystal Palace on Sunday.

With the side unchanged from Monday’s commanding win over Newcastle United, play got underway with the hosts on the front foot from the off. After an Anton Stach free-kick cannoned into the wall, an Ethan Ampadu long throw fell the way of James Justin who saw a powerful effort blocked just yards from goal.

Then, when Palace keeper Walter Benítez was adjudged to have held onto the ball for too long, referee Adam Herczeg awarded a corner kick. Tarik Muharemović rose highest to meet the delivery, heading narrowly wide of the upright.

The Bosnian defender was on hand down the other end moments later, timing a diving challenge to perfection to dispossess Jørgen Strand Larsen as the forward raced through on goal.

Long throws hurled into the Eagles’ box were causing the visitors problems in the opening period and Leeds went close to opening the scoring when one was flicked onto Ao Tanaka but the Japanese international was unable to keep his rasping half-volley down.

Approaching the half-hour mark, Jayden Bogle met opposite wing-back Gabriel Gudmundsson’s looping ball towards the back post and let fly first time, forcing an important block from a red and blue shirt. There were appeals for handball though those were waved away.

With both teams searching for the opener, Nico Elvedi dived in the way of a Quinten Timber close-range shot before the Whites broke through the lively Noah Okafor. The forward crossed low towards the onrushing Bogle but the delivery was desperately hacked clear.

Both sides had brief glimpses of goal as the clock ticked down but with neither able to break the deadlock, the referee’s whistle brought an exciting, albeit goalless, opening period to a close.

HALF TIME: Leeds United 0-0 Crystal Palace

The Whites emerged from the interval unchanged but it was the London outfit who started the brighter of the two. England international James Trafford got down well low to his right to tip a Yéremy Pino free kick beyond the post. From the resulting corner kick, substitute Jefferson Lerma skewed a wayward effort over the upright. Daichi Kamada also went close from distance.

Palace thought they had taken the lead through Tyrick Mitchell’s finish into the corner until United received a reprieve with VAR intervening for an offside in the build-up of the move.

After soaking up the pressure, Leeds would have gone ahead if not for a fine Benítez stop. Bogle had initially produced a sublime piece of skill to evade his marker and released Justin down the right. The defender crossed for Dominic Calvert-Lewin to meet, forcing a great save by the keeper.

On the hour mark, the England international was inches away from meeting a flick-on inside the penalty area. Moments later, first activity from the bench brought Daniel James and Brenden Aaronson into the action, replacing Bogle and Tanaka respectively.

With both teams committing numbers forward, skipper Ampadu produced a sublime last-ditch challenge to win the ball back from Kamada just as the Japanese midfielder shaped to shoot from around 10 yards out.

Still searching for the all-important opener, Farke turned to his dugout once more with Lukas Nmecha entering proceedings and Jean-Mattéo Bahoya making his debut in stoppage time. Both men had time to win free-kicks that brought opposition yellows but neither were presented with a chance to win it late on and the two sides settled for a point apiece.

FULL TIME: Leeds United 0-0 Crystal Palace