Super Gnonto evokes memories of Di Canio
LEEDS must follow this at the weekend or it presents another false dawn. Jesse Marsch certainly needed it, victory inspired by the sparkling Willy Gnonto, to back up claims they are turning a corner.
Cardiff City, who sacked boss Mark Hudson at the weekend, were very friendly opponents last night — far friendlier than in Wales earlier in the month.
Marsch will hope in time he views this replay as a blessing, the night leeds found themselves again after two wins in 17. That will become more apparent when Brentford visit on Sunday. Two points off the bottom three, that is eminently more important.
This night was all about admiring the brilliance of Willy Gnonto, the 19-year-old injecting life into the club, and revelling in Patrick Bamford’s return to fitness, with a double off the bench.
Gnonto first though. often the best way to describe a goal like his first strike is through the reaction of those watching.
elland road knew what had just happened but took a sharp intake of breath anyway as rodrigo, who had intelligently dropped off the front, was shown on the big screen clipping a pass just over the back of Cardiff right back Tom Sang.
Gnonto, inside the box, had somehow swivelled his body 45 degrees as the cross dropped but was going with his wrong foot. it suited the left, he went with his right and executed a volley that had all the hallmarks of Paolo di Canio’s for West Ham against Wimbledon 23 years ago.
in fact it was a carbon copy, an airborne beauty with poor Jak alnwick waving it in. after an intake, elland road’s involuntary squeal spoke to how audacious it was. and yes, home supporters briefly sang that song with the original lyrics.
So leeds led within 29 seconds, leaving Georginio rutter suitably impressed in the directors’ box. The £35.5million capture from Hoffenheim had happily taken selfies with fans before receiving a standing ovation when paraded on the pitch.
rutter, a show of faith in Marsch and signed for extra firepower, will have been enthused by the chances on offer and two more fell to Gnonto. The first ought to have flown past alnwick again, bundling over Sam Greenwood’s cross from inside the six-yard box.
Gnonto then forced the Cardiff keeper to tip an effort past the post as leeds broke at pace in a way that will have buoyed Marsch, while Joel Bagan scampered back to divert Greenwood’s shot off the line from Gnonto’s pass.
leeds doubled their lead 11 minutes before the break. Jack Harrison pulled the strings off the left and cut through Cardiff with one pass. The visitors could not cope with transitions and watched as Harrison found rodrigo, who sat alnwick down and rolled the ball into the opposite corner.
The thing for leeds to hold on to here was a relentlessness, continuing to pick Cardiff off to stretch the game. Harrison progressed through the middle third and the Welsh side furiously back-pedalled. Gnonto was away, hitting the ball early to catch alnwick cold at his near post.
Six minutes later Cardiff seemed to get one back, Curtis Nelson nodding in from a corner, only for Var to rule andy rinomhota, vaguely stood in leeds keeper illan Meslier’s line of sight, offside.
Cardiff improved without really threatening and Gnonto was later withdrawn, afforded time to milk the applause.
Bamford scored for the second consecutive game since a lengthy injury when precisely side-footing home a long through ball as the visitors stepped up too high. The second came soon after, cleverly poked in with no back lift.
Callum robinson’s two late consolations barely registered, the second a penalty after a handball.