Leeds United U21s will be playing top flight football next season after winning their Premier League 2 Division 2 play-off final 3-0 against Nottingham Forest. It’s been a season to remember for the Whites, who have achieved their ultimate goal of winning promotion back to Division 1 at the first time of asking, following last year’s relegation.
Despite topping the division for much of the season, United were pipped to the only automatic promotion spot last month by Southampton. However, Paco Gallardo’s side have cruised through the play-offs, seeing off Aston Villa and Forest at Elland Road to seal their spot amongst English football’s elite academy sides, with a sizeable crowd in to see the win over the latter.
Leeds were completely dominant from the off against Nottingham, who had seen West Brom off in comfortable fashion to reach the play-off final and Georginio Rutter, in the U21s line-up for the second week running, gave them the lead by scoring his first goal in Leeds colours.
The club record signing was one of the Whites’ most dangerous throughout the contest and he was allowed to sweep home Mateo Joseph’s cross in the 20th minute. Leeds doubled their lead through Jeremiah Mullen, who found the back of the net with a goal of the season contender.
Unmarked at the back post, the centre-back was allowed to catch Charlie Allen’s deep free-kick with a sweet right-footed volley into the bottom corner. And, after maintaining their grip on the game in the second half, Leeds bagged a third through Kris Moore’s whose booming header from close range was unstoppable.
It was a fitting end to a season for Leeds, who have seen the likes of Mateo Joseph, Darko Gyabi, Sonny Perkins and Archie Gray emerge and make names for themselves with their performances in the side. The Whites, who were coached by now first-team coach Michael Skubala until February, established their promotion credentials early in the season by winning eight of their first nine league games.
That ensured Leeds were the team to beat in the division and in the New Year Nottingham Forest, Norwich City and West Brom did exactly that. However, after losing their lead in the table, the U21s rallied under the guidance of Michal Pujdak and Gallardo to end the season with a record of one loss from their last 10 games, including their play-off successes, to seal their place back in the top flight.
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