Leeds United defeated West Ham United 4-2 on penalties in the FA Cup quarter-final after a 2-2 draw in extra time. The match ended 2-2 after 90 minutes and went to extra time, with Leeds having led 2-0 going into injury time but conceding twice to force the additional period. This victory marks a historic achievement for Leeds, who have reached their first FA Cup semi-final in 39 years.
Leeds have not reached the FA Cup quarter-finals since 2003, underscoring the significance of this run. They will now face Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley on the weekend of April 25-26. According to major media reports, Leeds United have only won the FA Cup once, in 1972, and have lost in three finals, adding context to their quest for a second title.
The penalty shootout provided high drama after a tense extra time. According to multiple reports, Leeds missed the first penalty in the shootout, but goalkeeper Lucas Perri saved from Jarrod Bowen and Pablo, and Pascal Struijk scored the winning penalty. West Ham had two goals ruled out for offside in extra time, which added to the late drama before the shootout.
According to other sources, West Ham's late comeback in regulation time was spearheaded by goals from Mateus Fernandes, who reduced the deficit, and Axel Disasi, who equalized before the final whistle. Eleven minutes of stoppage time were added, as reported by other outlets, during which West Ham mounted their fightback. According to other reports, the equalizer came after Leeds had built a 2-0 lead, with Ao Tanaka opening the scoring and Dominic Calvert-Lewin extending it from a penalty.
Off the pitch, according to major media reports, West Ham have made a complaint to FIFA after Aaron Wan-Bissaka missed the FA Cup quarter-final against Leeds because he did not return from international duty with DR Congo. Multiple sources indicate that Aaron Wan-Bissaka played for DR Congo in a World Cup qualifier against Jamaica on March 31 and then traveled to Kinshasa for celebrations instead of returning to London for the West Ham match. According to these reports, West Ham had booked a flight for Wan-Bissaka to return but he did not take it, and the club did not give him permission to travel to DR Congo for celebrations.
In his absence, as confirmed by multiple sources, Kyle Walker-Peters filled in at right-back for West Ham against Leeds. Safety considerations played a role in the match's conclusion, as according to major media reports, Leeds United were told before the match that any penalty shootout could not take place in front of the away end at the London Stadium, a decision made on safety grounds after consultation with police. Multiple reports indicate that Leeds sold out their entire 9,000 allocation for the match at West Ham.
Both teams brought prior penalty shootout experience from this FA Cup campaign into the quarter-final. According to multiple reports, Leeds had previously won a penalty shootout at Birmingham City in this FA Cup campaign. West Ham had won a penalty shootout in front of the away end against Brentford earlier in the competition.
Leeds' historical FA Cup record provides context for their current achievement. According to major media reports, Leeds United have only won the FA Cup once, in 1972, and have lost in three finals. Their last semi-final appearance was 39 years ago, making this run a significant milestone for the club and its supporters.
In terms of season context, according to major media reports, Leeds sit three points above West Ham in the Premier League table, with West Ham in 18th place. Multiple sources indicate that Leeds beat Chelsea 3-1 at Elland Road in December and drew 2-2 at Stamford Bridge in February in Premier League matches this season. West Ham faced injury concerns during the match, as according to other sources, late in the second half of extra time, West Ham goalkeeper Alphonse Areola suffered an injury and was replaced by Finlay Herrick.
As reported by other outlets, Finlay Herrick, age 20, made his senior team debut in this high-stakes situation. For Leeds, squad news included the absence of Swedish defender Gabriel Gudmundsson, who was not in the squad due to a groin problem, which is not believed to be serious, according to other sources. Other FA Cup quarter-final fixtures included Manchester City vs.
Liverpool, Chelsea vs. Port Vale, and Arsenal vs. Southampton, according to major media reports.
As noted by other sources, the other teams in the semi-finals are Manchester City, Chelsea, and Southampton. West Ham's journey to the quarter-finals itself was notable, as according to research sources, they advanced to the FA Cup quarter-finals for the first time in 10 years. In their previous round, West Ham defeated Brentford, with Jarrod Bowen and Igor Thiago each scoring twice during normal time in that match.
West Ham made seven changes to their starting XI against Brentford, while Brentford made three. Details from West Ham's match against Brentford included Brentford forward Dango Ouattara missing a Panenka-style penalty in the shootout against West Ham. According to research sources, Brentford made three changes to their starting lineup, including Yehor Yarmoliuk for his 100th appearance.
As noted by these sources, Rico Henry missed the match due to a hamstring injury. According to research sources, West Ham's penalty shootout success against Brentford saw Konstantinos Mavropanos score the winning penalty for West Ham. As confirmed by these sources, West Ham scored all five of their penalties in that shootout.