Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
BIELSA’S GIFT OF THE PAB
Hernandez haunts Swansea pals
Swansea 2 Leeds 2
PABLO HERNANDEZ returned to haunt his old side and send Leeds to the top of the Championship.
Oli Mcburnie looked to have derailed Marcelo Bielsa’s dream start with two goals.
Swansea’s Leeds-born striker toe-poked the opener before straining his neck to head his side back in front after Kemar Roofe’s equaliser.
But Hernandez capitalised on lazy defending to send Leeds top on goal difference.
Bielsa finally arrived at the Liberty Stadium after almost taking over from Garry Monk in 2015. Instead, he brought his high-flying Leeds to Wales.
He was forced into a late reshuffle at the back after skipper Liam Cooper was injured in the warm-up.
Luke Ayling moved into the centre of defence and 18-yearold Jamie Shackleton came in for his first league start.
The makeshift back line endured a nervy 20 minutes and finally cracked following a clinical Swans counter.
Mcburnie set Barrie Mckay one-on-one with Gaetano Berardi. The winger gave Bersant Celina a clear shooting opportunity, but the Kosovan cut the ball back for Mcburnie to fire under Bailey Peacock-farrell.
Berardi came close to an equaliser when he headed Barry Douglas’ cross inches over the bar.
But it was Leeds’ teenager Shackleton who hauled them level five minutes before half-time.
He left Martin Olsson in his wake and played a perfect ball across goal to give Roofe a simple finish.
But the Swans soared back six minutes into the second half. Olsson atoned for his lapse by crossing for Mcburnie to send a looping header over Peacock-farrell.
Sloppy defending allowed Leeds to salvage their unbeaten start.
Substitute Patrick Bamford (left, celebrating with Hernandez) went past Mike van der Hoorn and when Joe Rodon miscued his clearance, Hernandez fired home.