‘ATDHE PLAYED A GOOD GAME, BUT SO DID THE WHOLE TEAM’, SAYS BEAMING BOSS LUHUKAY AFTER AWAY WIN
JOS LUHUKAY claimed his first away win as Sheffield Wednesday boss – and left opposite number Paul Heckingbottom feeling like a broken record.
Dutchman Luhukay has had a tough time since replacing Carlos Carvalhal two months ago, but the signs are there that his Owls revolution is finally about to take off.
Towering Kosovan hitman Atdhe Nuhiu notched twice in the second half to earn Wednesday only their second win in 22 league games.
But, while this was a victory that ended the Sheffield side’s lingering relegation worries, it left Elland Road chief Heckingbottom bemoaning his team’s bad luck.
He admitted: “I’m bitterly disappointed and starting to sound like a broken record because, after every game, I saying the same thing.
“I should be saying how well we played in taking our chances and winning these matches. Instead, I am going mad at the way we have lost these games because we have not been clinical enough in both boxes.
“There’s no lack of effort the players are working as hard as they can and showing plenty of drive and desire. But we have got to be tight and disciplined, too, and that’s not happening at the moment.”
Striker Nuhiu (right, with Lucas Joao) clinched a Championship double for the Owls over Leeds with strikes on 71 and 91 minutes, and Luhukay said: “Atdhe was the difference out there, and he’s having a very productive time.
“He took his goals really well and he’s probably enjoy- ing the best run of form he’s had since joining the club.
“Atdhe played a good game, but so did the whole team and I am delighted to pick up my first away win since arriving at Hillsborough.”
The Whites, who had chalked up just one victory in their previous 14 Championship games, handed a debut to 19-year-old leftback Tom Pearce.
Prior to kick-off, Leeds chairman Andrea Radrizzani had accused his players of showing a lack of commitment, but there was nothing sluggish about the start they made in this Yorkshire derby – even though it was Wednesday who came closest to drawing first blood.
After only seven minutes, Joao teedam Possession 56% 44% Shots On Target 3 5 Shots Off Target 8 4 Blocked Shots 1 2 Corners 10 4 Fouls Conceded 4 13 Offsides 2 1 Yellow Cards 0 4 Red Cards 0 0 up Adam Reach with a glorious through-ball that put the former Middlesbrough man one-on-one with keeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell. Reach really should have scored, but Peacock-Farrell stretched out a leg to deflect the ball behind.
Pablo Hernandez was then the architect of two golden chances for the hosts in the space of 11 minutes.
The clever Spanish playmaker initially fed Adam Forshaw with a short corner which gave the former Boro star the chance to send a looping drive just wide with the aid of a deflection off an Owls defender.
Then he linked cleverly with Gaetano Berardi to setup Caleb Ekuban for a low drive that cannoned off the legs of keeper Joe Wildsmith.
The Owls carried much more threat after the break, with Sam Hutchinson and Nuhiu both going close.
But the 6ft 6in Nuhiu finally gave his side the lead scoring from close range after Reach had headed against the bar. Jay-Roy Grot, on as a 77th minute sub for Pearce, levelled with his first goal for Leeds since joining from Dutch outfit NEC four minutes from time before Nuhiu plundered his side’s dramatic, very late, winner.