Leeds Show There Is Life After Wood With Impressive Win

Leeds United didn`t let the imminent departure of striker Chris Wood affect them as they produced a professional performance to win 2-0 at Sunderland and continue their unbeaten start to the season.

Wood pulled out of the game with the striker all set to join Premier League side Burnley.

Caleb Ekuban replaced him in attack as he made his Championship debut and he played his part in the 2-0 win as goals from Samu Saiz and Stuart Dallas lifted Leeds into fifth place in the Championship at this early stage of the season.

Leeds went ahead on 21 minutes, just moments after Liam Cooper had denied Sunderland an opening goal at the other end. Cooper headed the ball onto the crossbar to deny Lewis Grabban, who had beaten Felix Wiedwald in the Leeds goal. Saiz fired Leeds ahead for his fourth goal of the season after good work from Ezgjan Alioski, who gave Sunderland left-back Brendan Galloway a torrid time all evening before he was substituted in the second half.

Leeds looked to push for a second before the break and more good work down the Sunderland left by Saiz saw his cross met by Pablo Hernandez but he could only head wide of the target.

Alioski then had a good chance to break his Leeds duck but he dragged his right foot effort wide of the post.

Sunderland rarely threatened the Leeds goal and Wiedwald had just one save to make in the match when he got down low to deny Lee Cattermole from distance.

Sunderland grew into the game in the second half following a double substitution but they could not break through a solid Leeds defence marshalled by the impressive Liam Cooper and Pontus Jansson at the heart of the defence.

Alioski had another chance to double the lead for Leeds when his free-kick was well saved by Jason Steele in the Sunderland goal.

Leeds made the game safe with just 14 minutes remaining and once again it was down the Sunderland left where Leeds cut through the defence. Saiz fired a ball to the back post and substitute Dallas rose to head home the second goal.

Sunderland tried to find a way back into the game but they rarely threatened, relying on long-range efforts that never threatened the Leeds goal and their afternoon was summed up late on when Leeds allowed a ball to go across the goal and Billy Jones could only fire into the side netting.

Leeds celebrated at the end as they showed there is life after Wood who is expected to complete his move to Burnley on Monday.

Teams

Sunderland
Steele, Jones, Ndong, Browning, Galloway (Matthews 55), McGeady, Kone, Cattermole (Asoro 74), Vaughan (Khazri 55), Grabban, Honeyman

Subs not used
Ruiter, O`Shea, Gibson, Gooch.

Leeds
Wiedwald, Anita, Cooper, Jansson, Ayling, Phillips, O`Kane, Saiz (Klich 81), Hernandez (Roofe 25), Alioski, Ekuban (Dallas 62)

Subs not used
Green, Borthwick-Jackson, Shaughnessy Vieira

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