The Whites were beaten on penalties by League Two side Salford City
A look at what national media has had to say following Leeds United’s Carabao Cup Second Round defeat to Salford City.
Salford City stun Leeds United
BBC Sport wrote: “League Two Salford stunned Championship side Leeds with an epic penalty shootout victory to reach the third round of the Carabao Cup. The fourth-tier side eventually went through 9-8 on penalties after Ossama Ashley scored at the second attempt when his initial effort was saved by Karl Darlow but the keeper was adjudged to have come off his line.
“The hosts took the lead against the run of play before the break when former Leeds striker Matt Smith powered home a header from 10 yards out. Pascal Struijk poked home an equaliser for the away side, who also hit the woodwork through Crysencio Summerville and Sam Greenwood, after Salford failed to clear a free-kick but the Ammies won out on spot-kicks to reach the third round of the competition for the first time in their history.
“They had the chance to win it in the first five penalties but Connor McLennan smashed his effort against the crossbar after ex-Leeds keeper Alex Cairns had saved Georginio Rutter’s tame effort. Jamie Shackleton hit the angle of the post and bar to set up Ashley to win it for Salford but he briefly looked to have blown it when Darlow went the right way to keep out his spot-kick.
“However, the referee rightly ordered a retake with the goalkeeper clearly off his line and the 23-year-old made the most of his reprieve. It was rough on Leeds, who claimed their first league win of the season at Ipswich Town on Saturday, as they were the dominant side throughout but found Cairns in super form in the Salford goal.
“The Ammies will now hope for a plum tie in the third round of the competition, a stage where Manchester United, the club where many of the club’s owners made their names as players, will enter the competition.”
Class of 92’s club dump Leeds OUT of Carabao Cup as the League Two side win a dramatic penalty shootout
Dominic King of the Daily Mail said: “Daniel Farke’s body language captured the mood perfectly. There he was, shuffling from side to side in frustration, grimacing as questions came in, sighing as he reflected where it all went wrong.
“This has been a turbulent and testing introduction to life as manager of Leeds United and, in Salford’s little stadium, his headache became bigger: defeat on penalties to a League Two side – wholly avoidable given the chances that had been squandered – turning up the spotlight.
“With Leeds, nothing is ever straightforward. Here, then, was a contest that characterised the way things go for them, as they climbed off the canvas a couple of times only to lose to the re-taken twentieth penalty of a dramatic shootout.
“Ossama Ashley converted the crucial kick for Salford, who have reached the third round of this competition for the first time in their history, but only after Leeds keeper had saved his first attempt and been booked for encroachment. Farke, clearly, was fizzing as elimination sank in.
“‘We are disappointed we are not in the next round,’ he hissed. ‘Performance wise, I cannot criticise too much. We had enough chances to score five goals but we only got one. We hit the crossbar, we hit the post but when you are five yards out put the ball in the goal!’”