Leeds 4 Norwich 0 (agg 4-0): Whites run riot as they embarrass hopeless Canaries to book ticket to Wembley
LEEDS will go Marching on Together at Wembley after this romp at Elland Road.
Daniel Farke’s men finally pulled out an A game when it mattered by blowing away an utterly abysmal Norwich to book a place in next Sunday’s £200million final.
Having only won once in their previous seven games, it was expected to be a nervy night under the lights in West Yorkshire — given the club are bidding to finally win a promotion via the play-offs at the sixth attempt.
They still must overcome the winner of Friday night’s game at St Mary’s between Southampton and West Brom.
But this was all but won after a first-half rampage which saw Ilia Gruev, Joel Piroe and Georginio Rutter put them into a 3-0 lead.
Crysencio Summerville added a fourth after the break and had it not been for some great goalkeeping from Angus Gunn this could have been a battering.
This was the biggest win in a second-tier semi-final since Barnsley won 4-0 at Birmingham in 2000.
It prompted chants from the Elland Road faithful of “Leeds are falling apart again” in response to all the rival fans mocking them in recent weeks before breaking into “We’re going to Wembley.”
Norwich had history against them as only 15 of the previous 18 sixth-placed sides progressed in the play-off semi-final.
And, although they almost pulled one back at 2-0 down when Josh Sargent was denied one-on-one by keeper Illan Meslier, they barely laid a glove on Leeds.
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Everything Norwich were not on their home turf at Carrow Road, the West Yorkshire side were on theirs at Elland Road.
They went after the opposition throughout and completely outplayed their opponents.
Leeds came out flying and Summerville played a superb one-two with Georginio Rutter just inside the box — but fired an angled effort over the bar.
Norwich’s game plan was to frustrate their hosts and get the partisan Elland Road crowd restless.
But that was ripped up when Leeds moved into an eighth-minute lead. Winning a free-kick 35 yards out, Ilia Griev curled a low free-kick which bounced and beat the unsighted Gunn.
It was the fastest goal Leeds had ever scored in a play-off and their first direct free-kick goal since Raphinha v Leicester in November 2021.
And Piroe doubled their lead 12 minutes later.
The Dutch striker was in the right place at the right time to meet a Wilfried Gnonto right-wing cross to plant his header past Gunn.
Yet Sargent should have pulled one back.
Ashley Barnes played a peach of a pass from inside his own half to send the Norwich striker through on goal after beating the sliding tackle attempt of Ethan Ampadu.
But keeper Illan Meslier flung out his arm to block the chipped shot.
Joe Rodon flicked a header just inches wide from a Gnonto corner.
And it was game over when Leeds added a third.
Piroe motored down the left and his centre to Summerville was stabbed across for Rutter to fire home off the crossbar.
Leeds were now routing their opponents and Gnonto was sent one on one but his effort was blocked by Gunn.
Then Piroe was played in 30 seconds after the restart but Gunn brilliantly saved.
Summerville saw a header go over and then another angled effort blocked by the Canaries keeper.
Piroe got slipped in by Summerville but Gunn came to Norwich’s rescue.
But despite keeping out a stinging Gnonto effort, he could do little as Junior Firpo pulled the rebound back to Summerville to slam home.