Rasmus Kristensen explained how the pitch conditions and commitment of both Leeds United and Crystal Palace turned the game into a ‘fight’ following Friday’s 1-1 draw at the Optus Stadium. Rodrigo’s second-half penalty was cancelled out by Jean Phillipe Mateta in a feisty affair Down Under.
Both sides received several bookings - including Jesse Marsch - and were guilty of some ill-judged challenges as the turf in the all-purpose, multi-sport stadium struggled to hold up. New signing Luis Sinisterra started but came off after 11 minutes with a hamstring injury, while Adam Forshaw was brought off on the half hour mark after suffering a number of clumsy tackles.
Kristensen was one of only four players who played the full 90 minutes - alongside Illan Meslier, Diego Llorente and Jack Harrison - and the Danish warrior put a few tough tackles in of his own on Palace’s attack. And he admitted after the game that it ‘ended up being a fight.’
