Salford 1-1 Leeds: Salford dump Leeds out of Carabao Cup as the League Two side win a dramatic penalty shoot out
- Salford City beat Leeds 9-8 in a dramatic penalty shootout in Carabao Cup win
- Matt Smith put Salford in the lead before a Pascal Struijk levelled the cup tie
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Stress is everywhere in football, even on a humdrum Tuesday night at a little stadium in Manchester. It explains why the celebrations on Leeds United’s bench were so dramatic when they found a lifeline.
Daniel Farke’s introduction to life in one of the most challenging managerial positions in the business has been turbulent, both in terms of transfers and results, and being knocked out of the Carabao Cup in Salford would only have increased the pressure.
That, for long parts of the evening, seemed to be what was about to happen. Matt Smith, who counted Leeds as one of his eight former clubs, had scored a towering header to put Salford on the brink of what would have been a significant upset.
In such moments, though, captains are required and how crucial was Pascal Struijk’s late intervention for Farke and his team. They may be unable to keep clean sheets but they certainly know how to fight until the end.
Farke went down the tunnel at half-time wondering how and why things had to be so difficult. It wasn’t that his team had played badly, far from it.
Salford celebrate winning the penalty shootout that saw them beat Leeds in the Carabao Cup
Alex Cairns saves Giorgiano Rutter’s penalty during the a dramatic 9-8 shootout victory
Daniel Farke can’t hide his disappointment after Leeds are eliminated from the Carabao Cup
The issue here was their inability to make chances count, as they had created enough to have made the second period redundant.
Crysencio Summerville and Willy Gnonto caused plenty of alarm with their pace and Summerville was desperately unlucky in the 24th minute when, after cutting inside, his curling drive thudded against a post before bouncing to safety.
Georgino Rutter fluffed two chances, Summerville, again, had a great chance smothered by Salford keeper Alex Cairns, while a thumping drive from Gnonto caused alarm for fans behind the goal as it crashed off the back of the stand. His rueful grimace and subsequent gesture of apology said it all.
There was little indication that an upset might be on the cards but, in the 34th minute, the complexion of the tie changed completely. Luke Garbutt – once a Leeds Academy player – had time to cross and he flipped in a perfect ball, allowing Smith to inflict maximum damage.
Former Leeds striker Matt Smith gave Salford the lead with a header in the first half
His header, which nestled in the bottom corner after he had climbed above Struijk, lit a fuse and one almost became two in the 45th minute when only a sliding block from Struijk halted a charging run from Luke Bolton.
Little changed after the break. Leeds had plenty of the ball, they moved it quickly but every time they got within shooting distance, they lacked a killer instinct. Struijk, in particular, was left screeching his frustration when heading straight at Cairns from close range.
No matter. Leeds kept pressing and, eventually, they found a way through thanks to Struijk, who bundled in from close range to force penalties.