A point gained or two lost? It was a familiar recent tale for Leeds United on their travels as they produced another solid performance without quite being able to get over the line to end their long run without an away win in the Premier Division.
Whites fans would have taken a point before kick-off at third-placed Aston Villa – especially with relegation rivals West Ham only drawing their home game with Bournemouth – but after Leeds were one up with only two minutes of normal time to play it was another disappointing finish.
Tammy Abraham's late equaliser from a corner pegged United back when it looked like they were going to get a huge second away win of the season.
Leeds had led through a goal of the season contender with Anton Stach's superb free-kick in the first half and survived a bit of an onslaught after the break to begin to look dangerous again themselves only to fall for the late goal when they were so close to victory.
Ethan Ampadu led the Leeds United side with a strong midfield display at Aston Villa.placeholder image
Ethan Ampadu led the Leeds United side with a strong midfield display at Aston Villa.
It had been a similar story at Birmingham in the FA Cup a week earlier and in a number of league games this season and manager Daniel Farke was frustrated and pleased after the latest 1-1 draw.
He said: “I'm proud of my warriors. We had a difficult game away and we were so close to all three points.
“It's only crazy that you travel away from one of the title contenders, one of the best sides in the country and in Europe and are slightly disappointed with just one point.
“If you concede so late and have a chance to score the second goal, keep in mind the goal was avoidable and second phase out of a corner in the 89th minute, you feel a bit disappointed at first.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin was unable to add to his 10 Premier League goals this season, but gave a whole-hearted display at Aston Villa.placeholder image
Dominic Calvert-Lewin was unable to add to his 10 Premier League goals this season, but gave a whole-hearted display at Aston Villa.
“But my warriors deserve all the praise and compliments, top away performance, came so close to winning all three. I think a well deserved point."
Farke praised the way his players stuck to their game plan.
He added: "I think our defensive structure against the ball made it so difficult for them to create chances.
“We were very good in possession in the first half. It's normal that one of the best teams in the country against a newly promoted side, who can bring quality on from the bench and need to win the game, fighting for a title, can be dominant.
Lukas Nmecha almost scored with his first touch after coming on as substitute for Leeds United at Aston Villa.placeholder image
Lukas Nmecha almost scored with his first touch after coming on as substitute for Leeds United at Aston Villa.
"I still got the feeling after we changed to a 5-3-2 it was a bit risky to bring a striker in for a midfielder but I wanted to set the sign we want to take part further on.
“It's not that you can dominate, you still have to defend really well. We could have scored a second, Nmecha really good chance, Calvert-Lewin a good chance, I think Calvert-Lewin would have scored a header if Joe (Rodon) doesn't take the ball away from the free-kick.
"The manner we conceded, we gave away the throw too cheap, could have been more switched on for the give and go, Joe Rodon made a monster block but sadly out for a corner and then Joe could have jumped earlier.
“We would celebrate three points but football is about details. I don't complain too much, a really good performance."
Leeds fielded only two of the players who started in the previous week's cup game and there was a freshness about the way they played in the opening 45 minutes when it had been an almost perfect away display against opponents seen as stronger.
Compact and solid rather than dominating, but always competitive all round the pitch with Ethan Ampadu a colossus in midfield and Stach adding the bits of quality they needed.
His best quality was his stunning free-kick from more than 30 yards out when he surprised everyone by going for goal and firing an unstoppable curling shot past one of the best goalkeepers in the world in Emiliano Martinez.
Before then the best chance had fallen to Dominic Calvert-Lewin who raced through onto Jayden Bogle's pass only for Martinez to come up with a superb save in a one-on-one.
Gabriel Gudmundsson – who was to be taken off at half-time through illness – wasted two other good opportunities while straight after the goal Calvert-Lewin caught out the home team on a great break and laid the ball back to Ilia Gruev whose shot cleared the crossbar by inches.
Villa came closest right at the end of the half after a poor linesman decision gave them a corner when it should have been a free-kick to United for offside. After it was initially cleared the ball came back in and only a fine save at close range by Karl Darlow to deny Amadou Onana preserved the Whites' deserved interval lead.
The second half was a different story as the hosts upped the intensity with Emiliano Buendia shooting wide from the edge of the box and also hitting the post.
Only an outstanding block by Stach prevent Tyrone Mings from scoring and there was further last ditch defending keeping the hosts out.
Farke sent on Lukas Nmecha in a bid to add something to Leeds' attack and it almost worked instantly as he sneaked in to meet Bogle's cross with a diving header, but Martinez saved.
Calvert-Lewin then forced another save from the home keeper as he burst into the box.
Now it was Leeds looking more like scoring and they had another chance when Rodon headed wide with two of his teammates unmarked behind him and maybe better placed to score.
But it was Villa who got their late equaliser after Ezri Konsa won a header at the far post and Abraham was in the right place to knee the ball into the top corner of the net.
Aston Villa 1
(Abraham 88)
(Stach 31)
Saturday, February 21, 2026
Premier League
Attendance: 43,048
Villa: Martinez; Cash (Garcia 87), Konsa, Mings, Maatsen; Onana (Barkley 61), Luiz (Bogarde 87); Bailey (Sancho 61), Rogers, Buendia (Abraham 75); Watkins.
Leeds: Darlow; Justin, Rodon, Struijk; Bogle, Ampadu, Gruev, Gudmundsson (Bijol 45); Stach (Longstaff 83), Aaronson (Nmecha 73); Calvert-Lewin.
Referee: Michael Oliver
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