Report: Leeds 1 United 1
Manchester United were held to a 1-1 draw with Leeds United on Sunday in the Premier League.
The hosts took the lead through Brenden Aaronson, as the American forward stole a march on Ayden Heaven to tuck home on 62 minutes.
But United responded and were behind for only three minutes, as Joshua Zirkzee teed up Matheus Cunha to delicately convert our equaliser.
Benjamin Sesko and Cunha both went close to netting a winner inside the final stages, with Senne Lammens also on hand to repel the Whites's late pushes.
Leeds flew out of the early sparring with confidence, as their recent results suggested they might, with Anton Stach soaring into a full-blooded challenge on Cunha.
As we ticked over into seven minutes, a long goal-kick was won by Sesko, before Casemiro helped it on. Cunha's instinctive volley flew past Lucas Perri in the Leeds goal, only for the flag to have been raised on the nearside moments prior for offside.
The Whites first opportunity of the game came as they broke with pace, with Aaronson playing in man-of-the-moment Dominic Calvert-Lewin. The former Everton man prodded his first sighter over Lammens's crossbar, as Elland Road responded to their side’s advances.
Gabriel Gudmundsson then drove down the left and managed to get the better of Diogo Dalot, with his cross floating dangerously towards the back post. Luke Shaw had to be aware, clearing the danger to repel Leeds' advances with a smart header.
The best chance of the first half fell the way of Calvert-Lewin, as Daniel Farke's side began to assert themselves into the game. Stach's curling cross found the head of Leeds' no.9, who glanced his effort goalward, only for the ball to glance off the outside of the post.
Shaw's set-piece deliveries were proving tough to deal with. Casemiro's initial contact was flicked on again by Leny Yoro, with Perri called into action to deny the Frenchman.
A neat move involving Cunha and Patrick Dorgu rounded off the action during the opening 45 minutes, with the pair combining well. The Dane's shot flew just wide of the post, as both teams headed in at the break with plenty to be encouraged about.
Manuel Ugarte's tidy tackle sprung a dangerous counter-attack as the Reds came forward after the break. Dorgu managed to get the better of Aaronson, before teeing up Ugarte again, who didn't get the requisite connection on his shot at goal.
Cunha did well to open up the Leeds backline soon after, with his cross eventually foiled. Shaw and Casemiro then linked up well with our no.18 finding Sesko inside the area, but his header was wayward, and the flag was also raised by the linesman for offside.
As the clock ticked past the hour mark, Farke's side hit the front. A mix-up allowed Aaronson in on goal, behind Heaven, and with the USMNT international left with just Lammens to beat, he made no mistake, dispatching into the bottom corner.
But just three minutes later, we had a leveller, after a brilliant move between our three forwards. Sesko flicked the ball into the recently introduced Zirkzee, who then played a delicate pass behind the Leeds backline. Cunha showed great guile to spot the opening, before rolling the ball past Perri to level the game again.
Noah Okafor was the quickest to react to another dangerous long throw into the box from the hosts. The former Milan forward tried an acrobatic attempt which had to be pushed away from safety by Lammens.
A great move from the Reds saw Cunha and Zirkzee again link up. The latter crossed superbly for Sesko, but he couldn't find the net, his effort flying wide of the post.
Amorim's side then had another gilt-edged chance to go ahead, as Dorgu's driving run into the box caused issues. The ex-Lecce man teed up Cunha, who curled an effort against the post that looked to have beaten Perri in the process.
Joel Piroe almost made an instant impact as Leeds swarmed forward with only minutes remaining. Stach's neat pass teed up the Dutchman, as he bent his effort towards the top corner, only on this occasion, with too much power to find the back of the net.
As four minutes were added, it was our Roses rivals who pressed on with a succession of late corners, but the Reds stood up to the test well to hang on for a spirited point on the road.
MATCH DETAILS
Leeds: Perri, Gudmundsson, Struijk (c), Calvert-Lewin, Aaronson (Piroe 87), Bijol, Stach, Okafor (Nmecha 75), Bornauw (Gnonto 80), Justin, Gruev (Tanaka 80).
Subs not used: Darlow, Byram, Chambers, Longstaff, Harrison.
Goals: Aaronson 62.
United: Lammens; Yoro (Zirkzee 64), Martinez, Heaven; Dalot, Ugarte, Casemiro, Shaw; Dorgu, Cunha; Sesko.
Subs not used: Bayindir, Fredricosn, Kukonki, Malacia, J.Fletcher, T.Fletcher, Lacey, Mantato.
Goals: Cunha 65.
Booked: Dorgu.