“Did Leeds deserves the win?”- Daniel Farke’s Brutally Honest verdict on Sunderland after Leeds’ THRILLING Last-Minute drama at Elland Road
Daniel Farke asserted that his Leeds United team deserved to beat Sunderland after controlling much of the match from the outset at Elland Road.
Sunderland made life tough for Leeds, packing men behind the ball and limiting the Whites to few clear chances in the first half.
The visitors took the lead in the 32nd minute when Wilson Isidor outmuscled Ethan Ampadu and struck a powerful shot that found the back of the net off the post.
Isidor’s goal seemed likely to condemn Leeds to their first home defeat since September.
However, Leeds continued to push forward, and Farke’s tactical substitutions proved pivotal in the latter stages of the game.
His changes paid off in the 78th minute when Joe Rothwell and Pascal Struijk combined. Struijk met Rothwell’s perfectly delivered free kick at the near post, flicking it in to equalize.
In dramatic fashion, Struijk completed the turnaround deep into stoppage time, turning in Rothwell’s cross to ignite wild celebrations.
Farke told Sky Sports: “I was always confident we would get the chance to score and win. It was a very tight match between two strong teams. They’re excellent defensively and dangerous on the counter.
“But in the end, there was no doubt it was a well-deserved win. We dominated them from the start, having almost 70% possession, 21 shots to their six, and 10 corners to none.
Football can be like this; they scored from one opportunity, while we missed several chances where we weren’t clinical in the box. Sometimes, set pieces are key to winning.
“It was a narrow victory, and last-minute wins are always the most emotional, but it was deserved. Joe Rothwell’s deliveries were excellent, and bringing on the substitutes was the right decision.”
