Hernandez inspires Leeds to win over Bristol City

Posted Sunday, November 25, 2018 by PA

Leeds punished 10-man Bristol City as they returned to winning ways following a 2-0 triumph at Elland Road.

Kemar Roofe turned home a long-range Pablo Hernandez strike after 69 minutes to open the scoring.

Hernandez then made the game safe four minutes from time after heading home Samuel Saiz’s perfect cross.

After a dour first half, the game dramatically swung in United’s favour when Josh Brownhill was red-carded for two bookable offences on 55 minutes.

It resulted in an onslaught of pressure from the home side before City cracked 13 minutes later.

Kalvin Phillips shot wide from a central position after 11 minutes for Leeds after City made a mess of playing the ball out.

The visitors enjoyed a little spell of pressure with two long throws requiring good defending from the home side.

Niki Maenpaa tipped Ezgjan Alioski’s volley over the bar after 18 minutes after Adam Webster failed to clear his lines.

Stuart Dallas had a shot deflected through to the keeper four minutes later as Leeds stepped up the pressure.

Third-choice keeper William Huffer, making his debut, smothered a cross from Andreas Weimann along his six-yard box after 23 minutes.

Barry Douglas nodded a Bristol free-kick behind for a corner before Hakeeb Adelakun’s corner was headed wide by Tomas Kalas after 30 minutes.

Huffer saved comfortably from Lloyd Kelly’s header minutes later as City continued to dominate.

Jamie Paterson lobbed over after 37 minutes after Huffer made a mess of claiming Niclas Eliasson’s free-kick.

Roofe had a shot deflected inches wide after 39 minutes during a rare break for the Yorkshire side.

Eliasson nearly put the visitors ahead in the 47th minute when his shot deflected off Douglas and went over the bar with Huffer wrong-footed.

Huffer punched the ball clear seconds later while under pressure following a corner.

But the game swung in the home side’s favour when Brownhill was red-carded after picking up his second booking on 55 minutes after he brought down Roofe.

Alioski fired into the crowd from a Douglas corner two minutes later as City looked to shut up shop.

Roofe drilled an effort wide in the 59th minute after getting past a defender and into the box.

Alioski couldn’t find a finish from a tight angle on the hour mark after a good pass from Mateusz Klich carved out an opening.

Klich drilled an effort straight at the keeper seconds later as the pressure cranked up while Jack Harrison and Hernandez had efforts blocked.

Maenpaa kept out Douglas’ curling effort with a brilliant finger-tip save seconds later but City finally cracked when Roofe turned home Hernandez’s shot after 69 minutes to put Leeds ahead.

Hernandez wrapped it up with a well-placed header after he evaded his marker.