Leeds secure thrilling comeback win over Bournemouth

Leeds United produced a stunning second half comeback as Crysencio Summerville scored the winner for the second game running to help his side clinch a thrilling 4-3 win over Bournemouth at Elland Road on Saturday.

The Whites were down and buried, trailing by two goals at 1-3 in the second half before Jesse Marsch’s inspired changes from the bench helped secure a memorable victory.

Crazy start followed by crazy ending

Leeds started the game in stunning fashion with Bournemouth’s Marcos Senesi bringing down Summerville in penalty box. Rodrigo Moreno converted the spot kick to send the home fans into delirium with only three minutes played. Marcus Travanier restored parity minutes later, his first Premier League goal, side-footing home following calamitous Leeds defending. Phil Billings gave Bournemouth the lead in the nineteenth minute with a curling effort that left Leeds goalkeeper Illan Meslier stranded on his line, helpless.

Travanier, who ironically is from Yorkshire, terrorized Leeds wingback Rasmus Kristensen in the first half and the traveling side should have been out of sight before the break.

Kieffer Moore, missed a sitter following horrendous defending from Leeds once again while Jefferson Lerma’s goal bound effort cleared off the line by Pascal Struijk. The home fans made their feeling heard, booing their side off the pitch at the end of the first half.

Bournemouth came out the stronger of the two sides, Tavernier the architect once again providing a cut back to Dominic Solanke, the latter who scored with an audacious flick giving the Cherries a two-goal lead. The writing seems to be on the walls for Leeds, however Marsch’s inspired substitutions turned the game on its head. Sam Greenwood’s superb left foot curler pulled a goal back for the home side at the turn of the hour. Liam Cooper raised the roof off at Elland Road, as he rose highest from Greenwood’s corner eight minutes later, sending the home fans jubilant in the stands.  

Leeds kept piling the pressure on Bournemouth and the home side grabbed the winner six minutes from time. Summerville finished off a lightning-fast counterattack by another substitute, Wilfried Gnonto, who ran past almost entire length of the pitch to feed the lay the ball on a plate for the goal scorer. The result will give Marsch, the American manager, much needed breathing space as his side built from last week’s 2-1 win over Liverpool at Anfield.

Defensive woes continue

Defensively, there is a lot to work on for Marsch, as the entire backline were pulled out of position numerous times looking vulnerable every time the opposition passed the half-way line. Kristensen who has a fantastic game against Liverpool, looked a shadow of the player from last week. Robin Koch and Liam Cooper look a very nervous center back pairing, with Struijk the only positive from the game with an inspired display in the left back position.

Up front too, Leeds were toothless in attack in the first half, with Rodrigo’s penalty being the sole shot on target. There seems to be very little understanding between Taylor Adams and Marc Roca in the middle of the pitch, thus Bournemouth were running Leeds ragged on every blade of the grass.

However, that quickly changed after the away side went 3-1 ahead and Marsch brought on Greenwood and Gnoto, both the substitutes providing cover, carrying the ball and being direct with their runs in the opposition half. Brendan Aaronson too lifted his game finding spaces behind the back line and suddenly the home side looked threatening with every attack.

The inspired changes got Leeds out of the precarious position, lifting them to thirteenth in the table. Marsch will be hoping his side can make it three in a row when they travel to London for a tough test against Tottenham. In midweek, Leeds face Wolves Wolves for a third round Carabao Cup clash.

Gary O Neil’s side, however, will be mightily disappointed, letting a goal lead slip once again, following their 2-3 loss to Tottenham last week. The Cherries face Everton next, playing them twice in a space of four days in the Carabao Cup and the next round of Premier League fixtures, before we head to the World Cup in Qatar.

Photo credit: IMAGO / ZUMA Wire