Leeds Utd Match Zone

Phillips Double Gives Leeds The Perfect Start

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Image for Phillips Double Gives Leeds The Perfect Start

Leeds United kicked off their 2017/18 season with a 3-2 win at Bolton Wanderers.

Midfielder Kalvin Phillips capped off a superb week for him with two goals for Leeds in a week when he signed a new three-year deal at Elland Road.

Striker Chris Wood continued where he left off last season as he scored Leeds other goal as new head coach Thomas Christiansen enjoyed a winning start in England.

The only dampener on a winning start to the season for Leeds was injuries to defenders Gaetano Berardi and Matthew Pennington.

Leeds flew out of the traps and they were ahead inside seven minutes. A training ground corner from Pablo Hernandez found Phillips and he swept the ball home with the help of a deflection.

Wood doubled Leeds lead on the half hour when he headed home. Kemar Roofe put in a teasing cross that was headed across goal by Ezgjan Alioski and Wood made no mistake from close range, powering his header past Mark Howard in the Bolton goal.

Leeds had to reorganise when Berardi was forced off with a dislocated shoulder and former Newcastle United player Vurnon Anita came on to make his debut.

Bolton got a lifeline almost immediately when Gary Madine headed home from close range after losing his marker.

Leeds quickly restored their two-goal lead when Hernandez found Wood and he played the ball into Phillips who slotted home his second goal of the game. Phillips had doubled his total for Leeds inside 45 minutes having only scored twice in 52 previous appearances for Leeds.

Leeds started the second half brightly and Roofe`s low cross was just too strong for Wood as the ball fell to Alioski and the Bolton defence cleared his shot.

Anita was providing Leeds with a good outlet on the left after replacing Berardi and he was next to test Howard in the Bolton goal with a long-range effort.

Leeds were then dealt another injury blow when Everton loanee Pennington went over on his ankle and he had to be replaced by youngster Conor Shaughnessy, who came on to make his senior debut for the club.

Shaughnessy was quickly involved and a tangle with Madine in the Leeds penalty area saw referee Simon Hooper point to the penalty spot and award Bolton a penalty.

Adam Le Fondre stepped up to smash the ball past Felix Wiedwald.

Having quickly restored their two-goal lead in the first half, Leeds came close to doing it again when Hernandez saw his effort from the edge of the area crash off the crossbar.

Despite having reduced the deficit, Bolton failed to muster a serious chance on the Leeds goal in the remainder of the game and Leeds held out to record their first opening day win since 2013.


Teams

Bolton
Howard, Taylor, Dervite, Beevers, Wheater (Burke 53), Darby (Armstrong 84), Vela, Karacan (Buckley 64), Le Fondre, Madine, Cullen

Subs not used
Alnwick, Robinson, Osede, Wilbraham.

Leeds
Wiedwald, Ayling, Pennington (Shaughnessy 64), Cooper, Berardi (Anita 38), O`Kane, Phillips, Hernandez, Alioski (Sacko 85), Wood, Roofe

Subs not used
Green, Saiz, Klich, Ekuban


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