Leeds pay penalty as Habib Diarra fires Sunderland to victory | OneFootball

Habib Diarra’s second-half penalty snatched Sunderland a 1-0 win at Elland Road and dealt Leeds’ Premier League survival fight a blow.

The Senegal midfielder converted from the spot in the 70th minute as the Black Cats clinched their first win in five league matches and their third on the road this season.

Leeds missed the chance to put clear daylight between themselves and the bottom three on another frustrating night for their fans, slipping to back-to-back home league defeats after Saturday’s loss to Manchester City.

Daniel Farke’s side remain six points above the bottom three, with relegation rivals West Ham and Nottingham Forest both in action on Wednesday, while Sunderland leapfrogged Brighton into 11th place.

Leeds controlled the opening exchanges without troubling Sunderland’s debutant goalkeeper Melker Ellborg due his team-mates’ committed, deep defending.

Ellborg, signed from Malmo for £3m last month, incurred the wrath of the home faithful in the 19th minute when he went down off the ball to receive treatment, allowing Sunderland’s players to gather in front of the dug-out for an impromptu team-talk with boss Regis Le Bris.

Leeds continued to probe, but after 30 minutes neither side had had an effort on target.

Anton Stach’s dipping free-kick three minutes later forced the first save of the match, with Ellborg at full stretch to turn the ball away for a corner.

Dark arts were at play again before half-time when Leeds substitute Sean Longstaff, warming up on the touchline, was spoken to by referee Stuart Attwell after pinching the ball-boy’s towel before Sunderland skipper Luke O’Nien took a long throw.

After another Stach free-kick struck Sunderland’s wall, a forgettable first period came to a close.

The second half began in similar fashion. Sunderland forward Eliezer Mayenda went down in his own box after colliding with Ellborg, while play was halted by a succession of fouls.

Sunderland’s Granit Xhaka made his 250th Premier League appearance as a 56th-minute replacement for Lutsharel Geertruida before two crucial VAR decisions.

Joe Rodon headed home Stach’s free-kick in the 64th minute, only for VAR to rule the goal out for offside, and six minutes later Leeds skipper Ethan Ampadu was deemed to have handled after Attwell had been asked to check the pitchside monitor.

Diarra converted, but only after Leeds goalkeeper Karl Darlow appeared to have saved the spot kick, with the ball rebounding over the line off his hip.

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Habib Diarra's goal proved the difference at Elland Road (Action Images via Reuters)

Ellborg kept out Jayden Bogle’s shot and after Leeds sent on Willy Gnonto and Daniel James, the home side laid siege on the Sunderland penalty area in a bid to salvage a point.

Jaka Bijol’s deflected effort shaved a post and fellow substitute Joel Piroe’s shot was blocked by Omar Alderete, but Leeds rarely looked like rescuing a point as Sunderland sealed their first win at Elland Road in nearly 20 years.