Elland Road saw a wild 0-0 draw today, with Leeds United and Crystal Palace sharing the points, but let’s be real: the biggest story isn’t the scoreline. VAR absolutely gutted Crystal Palace in the second half, chalking off Tyrick Mitchell’s tap-in, and it had everyone, especially Leeds fans, holding their breath. Daniel Farke’s side extends their unbeaten Premier League start, and honestly, they probably got away with one.
A Tight First Half, But Leeds Showed Their Teeth
The opening 45 minutes were a real battle, with Leeds United carrying the greater attacking threat. Tarik Muharemović headed wide early from a corner, and Ao Tanaka fired over after one of Ethan Ampadu’s signature long throws. But Palace wasn’t just sitting back, you know? Adam Wharton tested Leeds keeper James Trafford from distance, and Daichi Kamada forced another low save after getting released into the area. Leeds kept pushing before the break: Tanaka sliced a volley wide after Walter Benítez punched away a Noah Okafor cross, and Nico Elvedi saw a hooked effort held at the near post. Both sides went into halftime goalless, but you could feel the tension building.
The VAR Heartbreak and a Point-Blank Save That Kept It Level
Palace came out swinging in the second half. Trafford had to tip Yeremy Pino’s free-kick around the post, and Kamada sent a low effort narrowly wide. Then, in the 52nd minute, it happened. Anan Khalaili crossed towards Jørgen Strand Larsen, Jayden Bogle’s intervention sent the ball loose, and Mitchell tapped it in from close range. The whole stadium thought it was a goal! But VAR, man. Khalaili was shown to be fractionally offside in the build-up, and just like that, the goal was gone. Heartbreaking for Palace. Leeds responded quickly, though, creating their clearest chance just four minutes later. James Justin delivered a beauty from the right, and Dominic Calvert-Lewin met it first time, but Benítez pulled off a ridiculous point-blank save to keep the scores level. Palace still threatened late, with Wharton dragging a deflected effort wide and Kamada heading narrowly past the far post. Even former Leeds striker Eddie Nketiah was denied a clear opening by Justin’s intervention. No winner found, but what a rollercoaster!
So, Leeds United extends their unbeaten run and moves up to fifth, which is huge for them early in the season, especially after a result where they truly benefited from the tightest of VAR calls. Crystal Palace, on the other hand, gets their first clean sheet of the league campaign, but man, you know they’re walking off that pitch feeling like they were robbed. You’ve gotta wonder how much that VAR decision is gonna sting and if it sparks a fire in them for the next match. For Leeds, they’ll be buzzing to keep this momentum going, even if they know they had a bit of luck on their side today.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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