ZeeboiLeeds United’s promotion aspirations took another hit as they were held to a 1-1 stalemate by relegation-threatened Luton on Saturday.
Daniel Farke’s squad desperately needed a win, having secured just one victory in their previous five outings, to keep their dreams of automatic promotion intact.
The match began disastrously when Isaiah Jones put Luton ahead after 15 minutes, though Dan James quickly responded with an equalizer before the half-hour mark.
Despite their efforts, Leeds couldn’t clinch a decisive goal, leaving their fate in the hands of others for the first time in quite a while.
Below, MOT Leeds News evaluates the Whites’ performances with ratings out of 10.
Darlow stepped in for the mistake-prone Illan Meslier, and while he was powerless to stop the opener, he made an excellent save early in the second half to bail out Rodon.
Jayden Bogle – 5 (off for Byram, 87)
Bogle had an underwhelming outing, offering little in attack and looking uncharacteristically shaky at the back.
Joe Rodon – 6
Confident in possession and a rock defensively, Rodon handled nearly every challenge thrown his way with aplomb.
Pascal Struijk – 5 (off for Wober, 86)
Struijk remained cool and collected in possession and was a towering presence at the back, racking up 17 clearances before exiting with a potential injury.
Junior Firpo – 5
Firpo was culpable for the opener, leaving Jones unmarked, and his sloppy fouls risked putting Leeds in further jeopardy.
Ao Tanaka – 5
Normally a dependable figure, Tanaka was overpowered in the lead-up to Luton’s goal and lacked his usual spark going forward.
Ethan Ampadu – 5
Pushed to drive his team forward but couldn’t conjure a game-changing moment, while his defensive work was marred by too many fouls and lost battles.
Farke’s Gnonto experiment flops
Wilfried Gnonto – 3 (off for Bamford, 63)
Gnonto came in for Brenden Aaronson but, much like the American of late, had little impact as Luton smothered his space, leading to his substitution just past the hour.
Stats | Gnonto
Chances created | 0
Shots | 0
Touches in opposition box | 1
Gnonto’s stats v Luton. (Credit: Fotmob)
Manor Solomon – 4 (off for Schmidt, 87)
Solomon struggled to make an impression and squandered a golden opportunity from James’ pinpoint cross, blasting it over from close range in a lackluster display.
James stands out for Leeds yet again
Dan James – 8
James delivered a breathtaking goal to restore parity and was easily Leeds’ standout performer, consistently posing a threat throughout the match.
Joel Piroe – 4 (off for Aaronson, 79)
Piroe endured a torrid first half, failing to muster a shot or chance, and his fortunes didn’t turn after the break, prompting his withdrawal for Aaronson.
Substitutes:
Patrick Bamford – 5 (on for Gnonto, 63)
Brenden Aaronson – 5 (on for Piroe, 79)
Max Wober – N/A (on for Struijk, 86)
Isaac Schmidt – N/A (on for Solomon, 87)
Sam Byram – N/A (on for Bogle, 87)
Zeeboi
