Leeds United v Sheffield Wednesday: Championship – as it happened
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Version 0 of 1. 2.16pm BST14:16 So, after all that, it’s a point each, and little really changes for either team. Leeds move up to 11th, Wednesday stay 9th. The hosts dominated much of the first half, and Antenucci forced Westwood into three fine saves at the start of the second. Unfortunately, during that flurry, Wednesday broke at the other end and took the lead. Leeds reeled and the game dissolved into a series of skirmishes, until Giuseppe Bellusci showed rare composure to snatch a point. You might argue neither team really did enough to win – and you’d be right. That’s all from me. Thanks for reading. Bye. 2.10pm BST14:10 FT: Leeds United 1-1 Sheffield Wednesday The corner flies over everybody, and that’s full-time. It’s a draw; probably a fair one. 2.08pm BST14:08 90 mins+4: Goalscorer Bellusci hands Wednesday an unlikely final chance, spooning his clearance over his own bar to concede a corner... 2.07pm BST14:07 90 mins+3: I think this might be a draw, you know. 2.06pm BST14:06 90 mins+2: Madine holds off Pearce, turns and drags a shot on goal which Silvestri holds. Wednesday now holding onto the ball, presumably not desperate to risk conceding again. 2.04pm BST14:04 88 mins: Leeds try to take the initiative, stringing a few passes together in midfield and winning a free kick when Coke bundles Austin over. Mowatt whips the ball in, but can’t pick out a white shirt. Five added minutes. 2.00pm BST14:00 86 mins: At one end, Mowatt’s swerving through ball is cut out by Westwood. At the other, Helan sashays into the area but can’t find Madine or May. Back at the other end, Austin finds space on the right, but shoots wildly with Morison well placed. In short, it’s end to end. 1.58pm BST13:58 84 mins: Helan tries to curl in a cross, but it’s gathered by Silvestri. Oddly, both goals have arguably come against the run of play. There’s probably a good ten minutes with stoppages for either team to find a winner. 1.56pm BST13:56 82 mins: Giles Coke is on for Jose Semedo; that’s the second booked player withdrawn by the Wednesday boss, Stuart Gray. Sensible, but you shouldn’t have to spare one of your players a red card twice in one game, surely? For Leeds, there’ll be no Brazilian playmaker today. Instead, Steve Morison comes on for Antenucci. Not quite the same, is it? Updated at 1.57pm BST 1.55pm BST13:55 79 mins: Surprise! Leeds had been drifting aimlessly, but Wednesday’s indiscipline – giving away a needless free kick in their own half – and Bellusci’s surprising composure have got them back in the game. Cellino has celebrated by putting shades on, and edging ominously towards the home dugout. 1.53pm BST13:53 GOAL! Leeds 1-1 Sheffield Wednesday (Bellusci) From the free kick, Mowatt delivers a whipped ball from out wide, and it rebounds to Bellusci. The centre back is unmarked, and strokes the ball into the net from fifteen yards! Clinical. Updated at 2.05pm BST 1.52pm BST13:52 78 mins: Semedo is booked for Wednesday after a series of niggly fouls – and then immediately commits another one, earning a reprimand from Adcock, but no second yellow card. 1.50pm BST13:50 75 mins: Leeds appeal for a penalty as Austin’s shot cannons into Maghoma. Replays show that the ball did flick his hand, but his hand was basically on his hip, and the shot was hit at about 100mph. Would have been extremely harsh. 1.49pm BST13:49 73 mins: Wednesday stroke the ball around nicely, before May and Madine fight to get their unfashionable hair to a deflected Maghoma cross. Madine does so, but it’s easy for Silvestri. This isn’t the only football on today, of course – that would be underwhelming. Join Barry Glendenning for today’s clockwatch, live from right about now. 1.45pm BST13:45 71 mins: This is getting ridiculous. Kieran Lee is booked for a cynical clip on Billy Sharp, and that’s five yellow cards in six minutes. Updated at 1.46pm BST 1.44pm BST13:44 70 mins: Chris Maguire is replaced by Jeremy Helan, once of Manchester City, after picking up that booking. Helan is introduced to the game by Sam Byram, who is also booked for upending the Frenchman. I can’t recall any football in the last five minutes. 1.42pm BST13:42 68 mins: Billy Sharp is on for Doukara, who was last seen being caught offside after forty minutes. Just over twenty minutes for Sharp, and indeed Leeds, to get an equaliser. 1.40pm BST13:40 66 mins: A rapid fire series of yellow cards here as things get very heated, very quickly. Maguire and Berardi are both booked after an altercation, and Leeds’s Bellusci joins them in the book for dissent, apparently riled by Maguire pulling a face at him. All very silly. Updated at 1.47pm BST 1.38pm BST13:38 64 mins: There’s been a lull as Leeds look to regroup; it’s fair to say Maguire’s goal rather knocked the stuffing out of them. Madine, haircut aside, has impressed since coming on at half-time. Leeds are about to make an attacking change of their own, with Billy Sharp set to come on. 1.37pm BST13:37 61 mins: Adryan, the Brazilian playmaker on loan from Flamengo, is warming up on the touchline. He’s yet to play for Leeds, but could be introduced shortly. Exciting. Meanwhile, in hair news: He’s not wrong – Madine is sporting the standard quiff with short back and sides, but it appears to be topped off with a wholly unnecessary Alice band. The worst hair ever seen on a strike partnership? You decide. 1.33pm BST13:33 59 mins: Oh, Stevie, Stevie, Stevie. Madine cuts the ball back across the penalty area, seeking out Kieran Lee. Stevie May gets in the way, but manages to turn and strike across goal... but he puts it wide! A second chance spurned by the former St Johnstone striker. Updated at 1.33pm BST 1.31pm BST13:31 56 mins: Antenucci bursts to the left of goal, and angles a shot on goal, but it drifts wide. Westwood, who could never quite break through at Sunderland, has been very good – he hasn’t had to do anything spectacular, but he’s kept Leeds, and particularly Antenucci, scoreless and frustrated. 1.27pm BST13:27 52 mins: Will Leeds United’s first goal under Milanic ever come? Probably - but they’re denied again here, Antenucci again with the shot that Westwood parries away. Updated at 1.39pm BST 1.26pm BST13:26 GOAL! Leeds 0-1 Sheffield Wednesday (Maguire) Leeds are made to pay! Maghoma holds off two defenders and crosses for Madine. The ball’s too high for the centre forward, but falls to Maguire on the edge of the box – and he drills the ball low into the far corner. Unstoppable. Wednesday lead! Updated at 1.42pm BST 1.24pm BST13:24 50 mins: Another chance for Antenucci! He’s played through, holds off a defender and fires a low shot – but it’s a touch central, and Westwood clears for a corner. Mowatt’s delivery is punched clear by the Wednesday keeper, and that’s the end of that. 1.23pm BST13:23 49 mins: The visitors look to push forward, and Chris Maguire is in space on the right – but with numbers present in the box, he slaps the ball into the side netting. Poor. 1.22pm BST13:22 47 mins: Glenn Loovens attempts to nod the ball back to Westwood, makes an awful hash of it, allowing Antenucci to race onto it. The Italian flicks the ball over Westwood, but it’s underhit, and is comfortably cleared away. 1.19pm BST13:19 We’re back underway. Leeds bring on Murphy in place of Sloth. For Wednesday, Gary Madine is on for Nuhiu, who suffered a pretty dismal first half. Updated at 1.20pm BST 1.15pm BST13:15 Half-time non-reading It’s Saturday lunchtime, so I’m not going to ask you to read anything else - but your eyes can enjoy this week’s gifs that keep on giving, and you can win a signed football table, care of Audi and Chelsea FC, by clicking here. Not bad, eh? Updated at 1.16pm BST 1.12pm BST13:12 A harsh but fair analysis of the first half: Leeds have clearly set up to try and catch Wednesday’s back four out, with both strikers trying to run onto through balls. It’s largely been unsuccessful, but the assistant’s failure to grasp the offside rule has at least added a frisson of excitement. 1.04pm BST13:04 HT: Leeds United 0-0 Sheffield Wednesday That’s it for the first half. Leeds have been the better team, but Wednesday’s Stevie May missed the best opportunity. Back in ten. 1.02pm BST13:02 43 mins: Ooooh! The best chance of the game – and it falls to Sheffield Wednesday. It’s Stevie May who meets Maguire’s superb delivery from the right, but his header flashes beyond the far post. He really should have scored. 1.00pm BST13:00 42 mins: Antenucci is sent clear by Austin’s angled through ball, but is flagged offside. It’s the correct call this time, and although the Italian strokes the ball past Westwood, the whistle had long since gone. 12.58pm BST12:58 40 mins: A first yellow card (perhaps later than expected) – Atdhe Nuhiu goes in the book for a textbook centre forward’s challenge, kicking out petulantly at Byram after losing the ball cheaply. Anybody out there? Get in touch. 12.56pm BST12:56 38 mins: Leeds have played the better football so far, but have still had just the one shot on target. It’s one more than Wednesday have managed, though. The hosts continue to pass the ball in neat, inventive fashion, but the Owls are holding firm. 12.53pm BST12:53 36 mins: Wednesday have only gone behind twice in the league this season; both times, they’ve lost. Leeds work the ball neatly in front of the visiting back four, before Antenucci swaps roles with Sloth, and pokes the ball through for the Danish playmaker. He’s onside, but is flagged off before shooting straight at Westwood – I’m not sure the assistant on the far side has actually got one right yet. Updated at 12.54pm BST 12.50pm BST12:50 33 mins: Not much of note in the last few moments, apart from a gruesome close-up of Stevie May’s lid – a sort of undercut frizzy ponytail that bounces comically in his wake as he hares after long balls. Dreadful. 12.48pm BST12:48 31 mins: It’s good news for Leeds that Rodolph Austin has been able to carry on – once again, he’s involved in breaking down a Sheffield Wednesday attack, scrapping at Nuhiu’s heels until he wins the ball back from the weary striker. It’s been a while since Wednesday had anything resembling an opening. Updated at 1.03pm BST 12.44pm BST12:44 28 mins: 9 shots so far; just the one on target from Austin’s long ranger. That pretty much sums up the first half an hour. Doukara is the latest to miss the target from a choice Bianchi delivery, although the Senegalese striker was offside. Updated at 12.45pm BST 12.42pm BST12:42 25 mins: Wednesday win a free kick on the edge of the area after Maghoma is fouled, but Maguire smacks it low into the wall. Stevie May even made a dummy run, which was a total waste of his time, frankly. Leeds charge down the other end and the ball breaks to Berardi, whose shot cannons into the unfortunate Antenucci, who is offside. Austin, involved in that counter-attack, appears to have nursed his groin back to full capacity. Updated at 12.44pm BST 12.40pm BST12:40 22 mins: Sloth, playing at the apex of a nifty midfield diamond, is able to stroll a full ten yards unopposed again, but can’t find Antenucci with his through ball. The Leeds fans are in fine voice, particularly given it’s not even 1 o’clock yet. 12.37pm BST12:37 20 mins: Austin looks to have picked up a bit of groin-knack, possibly from wellying that shot moments ago. At the other end, Maghoma fashions a chance on goal, but blazes the ball high and wide. You do sense the first goal might be crucial; neither team appears to be brimming with confidence. 12.34pm BST12:34 17 mins: Austin robs Maghoma and tears off down the right flank. Jose Semedo tries to stop his run, and gives away the foul. From the free kick, Leeds work the ball a few yards forward, before Austin smashes a shot from at least thirty yards out. Westwood has to be alert to turn it over the bar. The hosts gaining the upper hand here, with Austin and Mowatt particularly impressive. Updated at 2.25pm BST 12.31pm BST12:31 14 mins: This time, Doukara is onside as he chases down a through ball from Mowatt - but his shot, low and from a tight angle, rolls wide. Nice work from Tom Lees, the former Leeds man, to close him down there. 12.30pm BST12:30 12 mins: Austin picks out Sloth, who steps through a sizeable gag in the Wednesday midfield and picks out Alex Mowatt, but his angled shot is parried by Westwood. Doukara was a mile offside in the middle, but clearly wasn’t seen to be interfering with play. The corner comes to nothing. 12.28pm BST12:28 10 mins: Nuhiu tries to nod down a swirling cross for Maghoma, but Sam Byram, despite being about six inches shorter than the big striker, does enough to put him off. Wednesday have just about shaded the opening ten minutes. 12.26pm BST12:26 8 mins: It hasn’t taken long for this game to get physical, and Liam Palmer is felled by Berardi out on the right flank. It could easily be a booking each already, but James Adcock is keeping his cards in his pocket. 12.23pm BST12:23 6 mins: First sight of goal for Wednesday, as Maguire’s cross is nodded over by Nuhiu. Probably should have got that on target... Updated at 12.24pm BST 12.22pm BST12:22 4 mins: Antenucci charges forward again, but this time Wednesday deal with it comfortably. At the other end, Stevie May is the first player in yellow to make any headway in the Leeds half, but he’s dispossessed. Tentative so far. 12.19pm BST12:19 2 mins: Alex Mowatt is over it, but his effort flops wide. Lively start from the hosts. 12.19pm BST12:19 1 min: Antenucci combines with Byram on the right, before slaloming through the away defence. Loovens has to haul him down, and Leeds have a dangerous free kick around 25 yards out. 12.16pm BST12:16 Peep! Leeds get underway, kicking from right to left. They’re in all white; Wednesday are in all yellow. Why? I don’t know. Updated at 12.17pm BST 12.09pm BST12:09 Kick off in five minutes. In the meantime, here’s Joe Ludlam: Ah, Gordon Watson’s dive. Prevented a 6-0 and scored 6.0. I seem to recall Trevor Francis being so furious that Watson was immediately dropped and possibly fined too. Would be nice to see a few current managers take a similar stance. Anyway, can we please have a video for Wednesday fans too? Your wish is my command, Joe (and er, thanks for the video). 11.58am BST11:58 11.55am BST11:55 Team news Darko Milanic makes two changes, with Gaetano Berardi and Rodolph Austin replacing Liam Cooper and Lewis Cook, who are both on the bench. Stuart Gray has brought Tom Lees and Kieran Lee back into the starting line-up together, presumably just to make my life difficult. Leeds: Silvestri; Byram, Bellusci, Pearce, Berardi; Bianchi, Austin, Mowatt, Sloth; Antenucci, Doukara. Subs: S Taylor, Cooper, Warnock, Murphy, Cook, Morison, Adryan. Sheffield Wednesday: Westwood; Palmer, Loovens, Lees, Mattock; Maguire, Semedo, Lee, Maghoma; May, Nuhiu. Subs: Kirkland, Buxton, Drenthe, Coke, Helan, Madine, Dielna. Referee: J Adcock. Updated at 12.01pm BST 11.42am BST11:42 From the archives Here’s nine glorious minutes from January 1992 – the final season before the Premier League began. Leeds beat Sheffield Wednesday 6-1 on their way to winning the title – the visitors, for their part, finished third. Be sure to skip to around 4.45 for evidence that gratuitous diving isn’t such a new addition to the English game. Leeds v Sheffield Wednesday remained a top-flight fixture every season until 1999/2000, when Wednesday were relegated. By contrast, this is just the fifth season since that the two teams have featured in the same division. Updated at 12.01pm BST 11.17am BST11:17 Preamble Today’s early Championship kick-off features Leeds United and Sheffield Wednesday, two storied sides who were largely unfancied to trouble the promotion contenders. When we asked you, our readers, who would end the season with a ticket to the Premier League in their back pocket, 7% picked Leeds; just 2% went for poor old Wednesday. As it happens, in a league where several favourites have started strongly, these two local rivals find themselves with an outside chance in the perpetually competitive Championship. Leeds are 12th, Wednesday 9th – but a win for either would put them within three points of leaders Norwich. The hosts have carved out an admirably mediocre record so far, sitting squarely in the middle of the pack despite appointing their third coach in just six months. Darko Milanic is the latest incumbent in the hottest of hot seats, and is still searching for his first win. Life is generally more serene for Owls boss Stuart Gray, who has guided his team to two defeats in their first ten games. Gray was given the permanent job at Hillsborough in January, largely thanks to a 6-0 shellacking handed out to Leeds – one Connor Wickham was among the goals that day. So, two dark horses, two famous old clubs, and it’s a derby to boot. Kick-off is at 12.15pm. What else are you going to do? |