Jesse Marsch’s Leeds side used the FA Cup third-round replay to let their hair down, and they ran riot at Elland Road last night.
The Whites needed a stoppage-time Sonny Perkins strike to force a replay in Wales, but last night, under the Elland Road lights, they played like the Leeds of old. Willy Gnonto put the hosts ahead within 30 seconds and it was an absolute beauty. Rodrigo picked a floated pass to the back post for the 19-year-old who peeled away from his man and unleashed a spectacular scissor-kick volley, Paulo Di Canio-esque into the top corner from a tight angle.
Cardiff City offered nothing going forward and looked suspect at the back. The hosts kept up the pressure and went 2-0 up on 34 minutes. Jack Harrison picked out Rodrigo with a superb through ball and the Spaniard cut back onto his left, sold the keeper a dummy and slotted into the far corner with the defenders scrambling. Two became three within a couple of minutes.
Superb play from Willy Gnonto to find space in the box and as he received the pass he checked back onto his right foot and slotted through the defender’s legs and past the keeper into the corner, 3-0.
The visitors thought they had gotten back into the contest shortly after when they were awarded a corner. The resulting cross wasn’t dealt with and Curtis Nelson nodded past Illan Meslier, but the flag was raised. After a VAR check, the goal was ruled out for offside with the Cardiff player seemingly blocking Meslier’s view from an offside position. Half time, 3-0.
The second half started and it was more of the same from the home side. However, the away side was making more of a fist of it, but with around 20 minutes to go, the game was wrapped up. Substitute Patrick Bamford notched his second goal in as many games when he was played through on goal after a lobbed pass from Luke Ayling. The 29-year-old raced in on goal and after a touch to compose himself, curled a fine effort into the far corner, 4-0.
The scoring didn’t end there, just five minutes later it was 5, and it was that man Bamford again. Joe Gelhardt found the striker in the box for him to slot into the bottom corner with the outside of his boot, a classy finish to make it 5-0 to Leeds.
It wouldn’t be a Leeds game without some defensive errors, and the away side got a consolation with five minutes to go, a cross out wide from Tom Sang was dealt with poorly by Ayling and the ball bounced up through his legs for the unmarked Callum Robinson to nod home from close range. The game started to slow down as both sides seemed content to relax a little. There was time, however, for one more goal.
The away side made it a little more respectable with their second of the game. The ball was juggled about on the edge of the box and Marc Roca was adjudged to have handled the ball in the area. VAR check confirmed it, although it seemed harsh. Callum Robinson slotted down the middle for his, and Cardiff’s second. The whistle sounded and that was that Leeds running out 5-2 winners and will play either Accrington Stanley or Boreham Wood in the next round, which will be played at the end of January.
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