Following on from Leeds United’s scintillating return to the Premier League with our 4-3 defeat to reigning Champions Liverpool last Saturday, Wednesday evening’s action had us back on Elland Road soil as we welcomed Hull City in the Second Round of the EFL Cup.
Cup progression this year is not a priority as top flight survival is the focus, although it would be a further welcome financial boost with fans still not back in the Stadium yet and going into the game we had every confidence of taking victory over the visitors.
Manager Marcelo Bielsa made plenty of changes but it was still a strong side with talented youth mixed in but we didn’t have the perfect start as the visitors were ahead five minutes into the game. Although we had our usual possession, Hull had the far greater chances in the opening 45 minutes and come the half time break, we hadn’t managed a shot on target.
Short of more Hull dominance (chances not the ball) in the second half, the main thing of note was Ezgjan Alioski’s 93rd minute leveller to take us to penalties and after 17 attempts they won it 9-8.
Looking at the team sheets we should’ve taken them, but there’s always a Cup hiccup…but again it wasn’t a priority this year and plenty of our youngsters have an experience they cannot forget, and that can only serve them, and us, well moving forward.
Given how congested this season will be, exiting the Cup – whilst galling – could also be a blessing when it comes to survival.
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Elland Road
EFL Cup Second Round
16/09/2020 8:45 pm
Attendance: 0
Referee: David Webb
| Leeds United | Hull City | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alioski (93) | Wilks (5) | ||||||
| Casilla | Ingram | ||||||
| Davis | Coyle | ||||||
| Casey | 45 | Jones | |||||
| Cresswell | McLoughlin | ||||||
| Douglas | Elder | ||||||
| Bogusz | 78 | Docherty | |||||
| Poveda | Batty | ||||||
| Shackleton | Wilks | 72 | |||||
| Roberts | Honeyman | 81 | |||||
| Alioski | Lewis-Potter | 45 | |||||
| Rodrigo | Scott | ||||||
Substitutes |
|||||||
| Meslier | Emmanuel | ||||||
| Bamford | Samuelsen | ||||||
| Struijk | 45 | Mayer | 45 | ||||
| Harrison | Greaves | ||||||
| Phillips | Chadwick | 72 | |||||
| McCalmont | Cartwright | ||||||
| Gotts | 78 | Jones | 81 | ||||
Game Statistics |
||
| 8 | Goal attempts | 19 |
| 2 | On Target | 7 |
| 7 | Corners | 7 |
| 15 | Fouls | 17 |
| 1 | Yellow Cards | 1 |
| 0 | Red Cards | 0 |
| 65 | % | 35 |