Late Nmecha penalty hands Leeds winning start | OneFootball

A late spot-kick from Lukas Nmecha handed Leeds United a 1-0 victory over Everton on their Premier League return.

The first half offered very little for either set of supporters to get excited about. Everton sat deep and struggled to put a move together, while Leeds had most of the ball but didn’t really test Jordan Pickford, who had a quiet time between the sticks.

The Toffees went into the break without a single effort on goal, though David Moyes would have been pleased enough with how his side restricted the newly-promoted hosts.

Things livened up after the interval. Idrissa Gana Gueye blazed Everton’s first real chance over the bar, before Carlos Alcaraz finally worked Leeds keeper Lucas Perri, who saved smartly at his near post.

The hosts weren’t without threat either, with Ao Tanaka going close, but the turning point came with just under ten minutes to play.

James Tarkowski blocked a shot inside the box with his arm by his side, yet the referee pointed to the spot and VAR didn’t intervene. It looked harsh on Everton, but Nmecha didn’t care, sending Pickford the wrong way to put Leeds in front.

From there, the home side looked more likely to add a second, forcing Pickford into a couple of late saves.. Everton threw bodies forward but couldn’t find a leveller, with Beto and Tarkowski both missing headed chances.

In the end, Leeds held on for a narrow 1-0 win, while Everton’s unwanted record of losing their opening fixture for a fourth season in a row continues.