Willy Gnonto's dream comes true with first goal for Leeds United against West Ham

Although Jesse Marsch's side ended up unlucky in having settle for a point Gnonto's performance was a real highlight again and he backed up with a superb first half goal after playing a great one-two with his mate and fellow young winger Crysencio Summerville.

Leeds did their best to throw the youngsters' efforts away with a VAR awarded penalty at the end of the first half and a giveaway second goal in the first minute of the second, but did earn a deserved point with Rodrigo's tenth goal of the season – and would have won but for two outstanding saves by Hammers keeper Lukasz Fabianski.

But it was a good night for their Italian wizard who was pleased to grab his first senior goal for United since his summer arrival. At 19 years old, Gnonto became the third youngest Italian scorer in Premier League history and the youngest top-flight scorer for Leeds since James Milner in 2004.

He said: "It's a great emotion, I am very happy for my first goal here in front of the fans.

"I dreamed a lot of this goal, I am very happy and proud.

"Of course I wanted the win, a win would have been even better but I'll take the point.

"We tried until the end but sometimes the ball won't go in."

Leeds blew hot and cold in the game, but finished on top and could count themselves unlucky in the end not to win.

They made a lively start with Rodrigo latching on a loose pass and racing through on goal only to be denied a shot by a fantastically timed tackle by Morocco World Cup star Nayef Aguerd.

Declan Rice sliced a volley wide as the visitors threatened for the first time, but both teams struggled to put their passes together initially with Leeds getting to grips with a baffling formation that saw them play their two wingers down the left and only Luke Ayling providing width down the right.

The Whites did fashion a chance from a clever free-kick that saw Marc Roca chip the ball and find Rodrigo only for the Spanish striker to see his volley blocked.

And they went ahead in the 28th minute when Rodrigo flicked a header from a throw-in inside and Gnonto then played his terrific one-two with Summerville before beating Fabianski with a strong strike taken early from inside the area.

It could have been 2-0 moments later when Gnonto's half-volley was not hit with the same crispness and Fabianski had an easy save.

Brenden Aaronson then fired a half-volley over after a corner had been flicked on at the near post.

West Ham finally got their game together in the closing 10 minutes of the half, starting when Brazil international Paqueta sent a shot into the side netting from a tight angle.

They came close to spectacular goal when Vlademir Coufal's lob from 50 yards out landed on top of the net after he looked to catch Illan Meslier out after the home keeper had come out of his area to clear the ball.

But it was 1-1 as Jarrod Bowen went down in the box under a challenge from Pascal Struijk. Referee David Coote – who got many things wrong in an inconsistent display – did not think it was a penalty and the ball was played onto Pablo Fornals who somehow missed a sitter from 10 yards out.

Relief for the hosts was temporary as VAR intervened and after a long look by Coote a spot kick was awarded, to be put away by Paqueta.

The same VAR failed to spot that when he took the penalty teammate Tomas Soucek was inside the box so the goal could have been disallowed under the letter of the law.

Worse was to come for Leeds straight from the start of the second half when Aaronson inexplicably played a woeful pass in his own half that only served

to set up Hammers striker Gianluca Scamacca, who then beat Meslier with a fine strike from the edge of the box that went in off the post.

Fornals shot wide from the edge of the box as the visitors looked to seal their victory, but Leeds got their heads back on the game and came close through Liam Cooper and Rodrigo.

They were perhaps a little fortunate that Summerville was yellow carded and did not see red for a rash challenge on Coufal. The young winger appeared to take the law into his own hands after moments earlier he had been cleaned out by the Hammers defender with no foul given.

He had also been badly fouled by the same full-back in the first half when Coote again missed the offence so it would not be a surprise if it was a revenge attack.

When the game calmed down again Paqueta shot wide from the edge of the box for the visitors, but just as they were beginning to bring out the time wasting tactics the Whites came up with an equaliser.

It was another fine goal as good passes by Tyler Adams and Jack Harrison – sensibly brought on as sub for Summerville – gave Rodrigo a chance and he took it emphatically with a terrific strike from the edge of the box.

Leeds now piled forward and were roared on by a crowd now at full volume, increasingly angry at the official's performance.

A superb Harrison through ball sent Rodrigo through again and his shot had to be well tipped over by Fabianski.

Rice sent a shot wide at the other end, but it was Leeds on top now as Cooper saw a header from a corner cleared off the line by Michail Antonio then lashed a follow-up shot over from close range. Struijk then sent a shot over after finding himself off balance in the area.

As the game went into added time West Ham offered their first threat for some time as Said Benrahma found himself in space on the left and his curling shot went wide.

But it was closer to a goal at the Kop end when Cooper headed down a free-kick to Rodrigo and the Spaniard's subsequent header was superbly saved by Fabianski.

A night of many emotions was finished off with a tearful second half substitute Mateusz Klich given a guard of honour by Leeds players as he left the pitch after playing last game for the Whites. The players put on special T-shirts containing a picture of the Polish midfielder and the word "champ" as a mark of respect for his efforts in United colours.

Leeds United 2

(Gnonto 28, Rodrigo 70)

West Ham United 2

(Paqueta, pen, 45,Scamacca 46)

Wednesday, January 4, 2023

Premier League

Attendance: 36,173

Leeds: Meslier; Ayling, Koch, Cooper, Struijk; Adams, Roca (Greenwood 78); Aaronson (Harrison 62), Summerville (Klich 62), Gnonto (Gelhardt 90); Rodrigo.

West Ham: Fabianski; Coufal (Cresswell 68), Dawson, Aguerd, Kehrer; Rice, Soucek; Bowen, Paqueta (Downes 80), Fornals (Benrahma 80); Scamacca (Antonio 68).

Referee: David Coote