Leeds book semi-final spot after shoot-out win over West Ham
Leeds book semi-final spot after shoot-out win over West Ham Leeds United let a two-goal lead slip against West Ham United but booked their place in the FA Cup semi-finals after a shoot-out victory. It was the visitors who took the lead in what was an entertaining encounter at the London Stadium. Ao Tanaka received the ball in the West Ham area in the 25th minute and still had plenty to do with the Japanese international showing good feet before firing his side ahead.
Leeds thought they should have been awarded a penalty shortly after. Anton Stach had an effort saved by Alphonse Aréola but was taken out by Max Kilman after the fact. However, neither the referee or VAR thought it was worthy of a penalty despite Brenden Aaronson needing to come in place of the injured Stach.
It was Stach's replacement who did end up winning a penalty in the second half. Willy Gnonto played the American through and he was brought down by Kilman with VAR getting involved to send referee Craig Pawson to the screen. Dominic Calvert-Lewin stepped up and fired in the resulting penalty to make it 2-0 to Leeds with 75 minutes gone in the game.
That goal caused some home fans to head for the exits and they would have felt foolish when they found out about what happened in 11 minutes of second-half stoppage time. The Irons pulled one goal back in the third minute of stoppage time when Jarrod Bowen had a fierce strike bounce back off the post with Matheus Fernandes on hand to follow up on the rebound. The late comeback was complete when Adama Traoré put in a cross that Axel Disasi converted.
Leeds were unhappy with the defender's boot high when he got in just ahead of Pascal Struijk. VAR checked the goal but the equaliser stood to take the game into extra-time. West Ham almost made it 3-2 just seconds into the first half of extra-time when Taty Castellanos volleyed in after a mistake from Lucas Perri but the goalkeeper's blushes were saved by VAR with the striker caught offside.