LEEDS: Defender Rasmus Kristensen scored a second-half equaliser to give Leeds United a share of the points in a thrilling Premier League 2-2 draw with Newcastle United that saw Leeds miss one spot kick, concede two more, and have a man sent off in stoppage time.
Leeds are still in the relegation zone but move up one spot to 18th on 31 points, one point behind Everton in 17th, while Newcastle remain third in the table on 66 points, three ahead of Manchester United and four ahead of Liverpool.
Leeds took the lead in the seventh as captain Luke Ayling fired home a rebound, and the home side could have gone two up in the 28th minute when Joelinton bundled over Junior Firpo in the box, but Patrick Bamford’s spot kick was saved by Nick Pope.
Three minutes later Newcastle levelled from a penalty of their own, scored by Callum Wilson, and Newcastle were awarded a second penalty midway thorough the second half when Firpo handled the ball, and this time Wilson blasted straight down the middle to put his side into the lead.
The drama wasn’t over however, and when Newcastle failed to clear a corner in the 79th minute, Kristensen popped up on the edge of the area to hammer home a deflected equaliser and re-ignite the home crowd’s hopes of top-flight survival as they held on for the draw.
Firpo was then sent off in second-half stoppage time for a second yellow card, but Newcastle were unable to make the most of their advantage. — Reuters
