Wilfred Gonto struck twice – including his first goal of the FA Cup season after just 26 seconds – as Leeds hammered Cardiff in a replay to reach the fourth round.
The Italian international – signed by FC Zurich on deadline day in the summer – fired a superb volley into the crossbar from Rodrigo’s perfectly placed ball to fire the Whites to a thoroughly deserved victory.
Gnonto, 19, also scored the home side’s third goal, taking the game away from Cardiff shortly after Rodrigo had made it 2-0 with a superb finish of his own.
Cardiff, led by interim manager Dan Whitehead after the sacking of Mark Hodgson, thought they had reduced the deficit but Curtis Nelson’s header from a corner was disallowed when VAR saw Andy Ranumotta in an offside position.
Leeds, who had fallen at the third-round hurdle in this competition in every campaign since 2016-17, added two more in the second half through Patrick Bamford. The striker scored three goals in two substitute appearances after returning from injury.
Leeds gave Championship strugglers Cardiff two consolations as a mistake by Luke Ayling allowed Callum Robinson to head unchallenged, before a Mark Rocca handball – seen by VAR – was awarded to the same player. Able to slot into the spot kick.
Jesse Marsh’s side travel to fifth-tier Boreham Wood or League One Accrington Stanley in round four on the weekend of January 28/29.
The two sides were due to meet in a third-round replay on Tuesday, but this was postponed due to a frozen pitch, with the rescheduled game scheduled for Tuesday, January 24.
Gnonto the shining light for Leeds
Leeds United do not do home FA Cup ties, at least not in recent years. It was their first since January 2016 and only because they salvaged a late draw in Wales 10 days earlier.
The sell-out crowd was testament to how long these fans have waited for the world’s oldest cup competition to return to LS11 and many of them were treated to something special before taking their seats.
When Gunto joined Leeds, boss Marsh suggested he was “not ready for the Premier League”, but from the moment he stepped onto an England pitch he set out to prove the American wrong.
His first goal was a little more out of the box – a bold and brilliantly executed mid-air one – as another Italian, Paolo Di Canio, scored for West Ham against Wimbledon in 2000. Although it was close.
Gnonto’s second was a routine finish, but it illustrated the wonderful anticipation, movement, speed and maturity of a player who is fast making his £4m fee an absolute steal.
Sandwiched between the two was another fine goal from Rodrigo, who wrested his tag as Leeds’ record signing last week from Georginio Rutter’s grasp, but now has 12 goals in 20 games this season.
If Rutter can live up to the hype, a forward line of the 20-year-old Frenchman, the experienced Spaniard and the teenage Italian, with Englishman Bamford competing alongside him, promises to do a lot for Leeds in the second half of the season. Is.
Wednesday’s victory was the most important for Boss Marsh, who have come under increasing pressure after just two wins in 17 games.
The Whites were finding form before the World Cup break, but have struggled for consistency since the resumption, with performances showing encouraging attacking play but serious defensive lapses costing them points. had to face
This was the case in the original tie in Wales, with Leeds the better side throughout the game but having to come back from 2-0 down in the second half and rely on an injury-time equalizer from substitute Sonny Perkins. Force a restart.
It was a much more confident display, which he put on at Aston Villa on Friday.
It wasn’t perfect, with chances wasted and an offside flag failing to effectively clear the corner from which Nelson headed before half-time.
But it is something that has an even more important game – and big test – for the Whites and their manager at home to Brentford in the Premier League on Sunday.
Cardiff were second, but at least Robinson’s double left something on the board – and they can now fully focus on their dire league situation.
In the midst of two cup ties with Leeds, they sacked manager Mark Hodgson after just 118 days in charge following a nine-game winless run.
The run is now in double figures and needs to be arrested soon, whether or not Whitehead is still in charge for Saturday’s league trip to Millwall.
