Leeds United rounded off their pre-season tour of the US with a brilliant 4-2 comeback victory over Liverpool on Sunday night. The Whites were two goals down at half-time but a brace from Dominic Calvert-Lewin plus goals from Brenden Aaronson and Sean Longstaff turned the tide.
Daniel Farke made four changes from the team that started against Sunderland on Thursday night, with James Justin, Ethan Ampadu, Anton Stach and Daniel James. coming in. Sebastiaan Bornauw, Longstaff, Harry Wilson and Callum Mills dropped to a bench that also included Calvert-Lewin and Aaronson.
There was some cause for early concern when Gabriel Gudmundsson took a clattering from Florian Wirtz as the pair challenged for a ball. The Swede fell awkwardly and was badly winded but after receiving some on-pitch treatment, he was okay to continue much to Farke’s relief.
Liverpool took the lead inside seven minutes from a corner, with Milos Kerkez getting first contact at the near post and Luke Chambers drifting in unmarked to smash home. Leeds will look back on the opener as poor defending with man-marking loose.
Lukas Nmecha had Leeds’ first big chance after a quarter of an hour, meeting Jayden Bogle’s cross but his downward header was well saved by goalkeeper Georgi Mamardashvili. The striker then came close again after a good counter-attack but his right-footed shot from 20 yards dragged just wide.
Leeds were then dealt a quickfire double blow, firstly seeing Gudmundsson forced off with an injury after going to ground again and appearing to hold his hamstring. Wirtz then doubled Liverpool’s lead after taking advantage of more passive defending to finish Jeremie Frimpong’s cross.
Farke made four changes at the break with Calvert-Lewin and Aaronson getting their first pre-season introductions. They joined Longstaff and Wilson in replacing Ao Tanaka, Anton Stach, James and Nmecha.
And they were rewarded on the hour-mark when a high press allowed Ampadu to burst into space as it opened up on the left. He found substitute Aaronson who composed himself to produce a nice finish underneath Mamardashvili.
Calvert-Lewin then made it 2-2 on 71 minutes, getting in at the back post after Joe Rodon flicked on a long Ampadu throw. And before fans had their chance to sit down, Aaronson cut back a cross for Longstaff whose scruffy finish squeezed beyond Mamardashvili to put Leeds ahead.
Calvert-Lewin made it 4-2 towards the end of the second-half in a near-carbon copy to his first. Ampadu’s long throw was met by Bornauw this time round, whose flick was met by the Whites striker to head in off the crossbar and round off a brilliant second-half comeback.
Leeds will fly back to the UK following tonight’s game, with the best part of a week to prepare for their next friendly against RB Leipzig at Elland Road on Saturday next week. Farke’s side then face Manchester United in Dublin on Wednesday August 12 before welcoming FC Augsburg to LS11 the following Saturday.