There are new owners in the directors’ box and a new man in the dugout at Elland Road but some things have stayed the same as Leeds’s defensive frailties came to the fore and their lack of a clinical striker looked likely to cost them upon their return to the Championship until Crysencio Summerville provided a platform for the new era.
Leeds spent the second half camped inside the Cardiff half as they aimed to cancel out goals from the debutants Josh Bowler and Ike Ugbo but they looked set to fall short until Summerville pounced on a blocked shot to equalise in the 95th minute in front of members of the club’s new ownership group, 49ers Enterprises.
“It is a scandal that we did not win this game,” Farke said. “They had two shots on target, two goals. We had 25 shots and 10 corners. In the second half one team was chasing the game, it looked a little bit like a powerplay at times but, sadly, we missed too many situations and they were really effective defending their six-yard box. You have to give credit to them.
“We are disappointed that we didn’t win but I just have praise and compliments for my lads because after such a game then to equalise in the 95th minute after we had to deal with so many hits in the neck today and missed so many opportunities so many things were against us.”
The strikers Patrick Bamford, Georginio Rutter and Mateo Joseph were absent for Leeds, forcing Daniel Farke to select the winger Wilfried Gnonto to lead the line in his first game in charge. There were early positives for the German to take as Gnonto, Summerville, Luis Sinisterra and Daniel James combined well, but an organised Cardiff defence kept them at bay.
If there were frustrations in the final third, their defensive problems exacerbated them as Cardiff went two goals up. First Bowler was left alone on the penalty spot and given two chances to open the scoring, gladly taking the second, before Ugbo tapped home at the back post unmarked, a reminder that Leeds conceded 78 goals last season and Farke has not eradicated the issues.
Leeds had their debutants, too – Ethan Ampadu, who joined from Chelsea, and the 17-year-old academy graduate Archie Gray were paired in central midfield. Gray thus became the fourth member of his family to play for Leeds after his father Andy, grandfather Frank and great uncle Eddie. Ampadu looks an impressive signing; the Welshman was calm and composed on the ball, while helping his younger teammate through the game.
Cardiff had their own Welsh debutant, to some degree, with Aaron Ramsey returning for his third spell. He helped to set up the second goal with a scuffed shot and showed the sort of touches of a man with Arsenal and Juventus on his CV. He will undoubtedly be an important figure for a side that maintained Championship status only because Reading were docked points last season.
Leeds traipsed in at half-time dejected after naive defending for the goals but they were rejuvenated after it. Leeds’s defence made up for its failings when Liam Cooper headed home a corner in the 49th minute to offer hope but landed awkwardly, ensuring his celebrations were replaced with pain. It was his final touch of the match as he was replaced by Charlie Cresswell.
From then on it was an onslaught from the team in white, who had 72% possession and a plethora of shots but only six on target, an indication of the need to find someone with greater composure to operate as a No 9. Cardiff produced some last‑ditch defending and Jak Alnwick made a couple of important saves to delay the inevitable but the visitors were clearly very tired after defending their box for the entirety of the second half. Their mistake was playing too deep, inviting the pressure from Leeds and they paid the price when Summerville struck, causing the fans to erupt.
“If you can’t win a game then you give your life in order to make sure that you don’t lose it and equalise,” Farke said. “I think it was pretty important not just for the table but also for the confidence, for the spirit, for the unity, for the mentality.”
It was an intriguing welcome to British football for Cardiff’s Erol Bulut, after spending his entire managerial career in Turkey. He said. “The atmosphere was great, how you would expect for a big game. With the result – a point – we have to be happy.”
