WEST HAM 2-2 LEEDS (Leeds win 4-2 on penalties): Daniel Farke’s side progressed after an instant FA Cup classic went all the way to penalties after two late goals
Leeds beat West Ham in an instant FA Cup classic
The thousands of West Ham fans who left missed an FA Cup classic.
But then they also missed the heartbreak and drama as Leeds won on penalties after doing their very best to throw it all away in an epic which lasted three hours and six minutes.
It was an incredible tie which had celebrity West Ham Danny Dyer off his seat for every twist and turn but ultimately ended with Leeds celebrating in front of their army of 9,000 travelling fans.
What a story for Leeds boss Daniel Farke and his players as they reached the club’s first semi final in 39 years and are now at Wembley.
That barely tells half the story as Leeds were 2-0 up when the game entered into 11 minutes of injury time at 90 minutes because of all the lengthy VAR checks.
READ MORE: FA Cup semi-final draw in full as Man City and Chelsea discover Wembley opponentsREAD MORE: West Ham and Leeds in penalty shootout row moments before FA Cup clash
Huge sections of the stadium had emptied and yet they were trying – and failing – to storm the turnstiles to get back in after Mateus Fernandes and then Axel Disasi scored in the 93rd and 96th minute to send it into extra time.
And then throw into the mix West Ham ended up with a 20-year-old rookie Finlay Herrick in goal for the penalties after Alphonse Areola went off injured in extra time.
Herrick, whose only senior experience came on loan at Borehamwood, could not stop Leeds winning it as Pascal Struijk scored the decisive penalty.
This was proof the FA Cup is alive and well. Stories all over the place. Leeds turning up at West Ham and Farke was told they would not be allowed to take penalties into the away end amid safety concerns.
Lucas Perri celebrates after saving a West Ham penalty
Ultimately, a coin toss was done and the shoot-out was in front of the West Ham end – and it still did not save them from defeat and the chance of their first semi final since 2006.
Before kick-off they presented Ray Stewart, a hero of their last FA Cup winning side in 1980, who was famed for his thunderbolt penalties. You would still fancy him even now in the shoot-out.
Leeds were left counting the cost of injuries as Anton Stach, Joe Rodon and Noah Okafor all went off hurt but this game will live long in the memory.
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They were ahead after 26 minutes. Okafor’s cross found Ao Tanaka in the box. Tanaka turned brilliantly, his shot deflected off Axel Disasi and then looped over West Ham keeper Alphonse Areola.
Leeds were denied a stonewall penalty before half time. Kilman wiped out Stach with a dreadful challenge after the ball had gone. Stach’s shot still needed a fine save from Areola but it was still a foul. Stach had to go off so Leeds were punished twice.
It looked over when Kilman then upended Brenden Aaronson. Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who missed his last penalty, bravely stepped up and converted in front of the Leeds fans and it looked all over.
Kilman’s next touch was booed. When 11 minutes of added time went up, it still looked beyond West Ham.
Axel Disasi sent the tie to extra time with an injury time equaliser
But they scored in the third minute of injury time. Jarrod Bowen’s curling shot hit the post and rebounded straight to Mateus Fernandes who had an empty net in front of him. Hope.
Then three minutes later, Adama Traore’s cross found Disasi who steered the ball into the net. It was enough to take it into extra time.
It still was not over. Extra time was a war of attrition. Bowen hit the post again. Areola went off injured and Herrick went in goal for penalties.
Joel Piroe missed for Leeds. But, incredibly, Bowen saw his effort saved. Then Calvert-Lewin, Aaronsson, Wilfried Gnonto and Struik scored for Leeds. Kyle Walker-Peters and Tomas Soucek converted but Pablo saw his saved and Leeds were through.
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