Leeds United 1 West Ham United 2: Set piece woes leads to Hammers blow at Elland Road

LEEDS United fell to a sixth defeat of the Premier League season as a dominant West Ham United side netted from two set pieces to record a 2-1 victory at Elland Road.
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United took an eighth-minute lead through Mateusz Klich's second attempt at a penalty after referee Michael Oliver ordered a retake but West Ham equalised midway through the half when Tomas Soucek headed home from a corner.

The Hammers then looked increasingly threatening after the break and the visitors ensured they would leave with all three points when Angelo Ogbonna headed home a free-kick with ten minutes left to send the Hammers fifth.

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Leeds were presented with a golden chance to take an early lead when Hammers 'keeper Lukasz Fabianski hauled down Patrick Bamford who was clean through and referee Michael Oliver pointed to the spot.

ALL SQUARE: Tomas Soucek makes it 1-1 at Elland Road. Picture by Bruce Rollinson,ALL SQUARE: Tomas Soucek makes it 1-1 at Elland Road. Picture by Bruce Rollinson,
ALL SQUARE: Tomas Soucek makes it 1-1 at Elland Road. Picture by Bruce Rollinson,

Klich stepped up to take the penalty but his weak effort was saved though Klich and Leeds were given a reprieve when Oliver ordered a retake for Fabianski not staying on his line.

This time Klich made no mistake as the Pole hammered home his spot kick into the bottom right corner to give the Whites a sixth-minute lead.

West Ham's first chance fell to Jarrod Bowen but his effort from a tight angle was deflected and Sebastien Haller then made a mess of a free header shortly afterwards.

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Haller was then presented with another chance in the 12th minute when found inside the box but his shot on the turn took a deflection and was easily saved by Illan Meslier.

After good work from Gjanni Alioski, United's record signing Rodrigo flashed an effort well wide from the edge of the box before Bowen cut inside at the other fired but blazed over the bar.

Full debutante Said Benrahma then saw a strong drive blocked by Luke Ayling but the Hammers equalised in the 25th minute when Tomas Soucek escaped Stuart Dallas to power home header from a corner.

From a lovely through ball from Raphinha, Rodrigo was then able to burst clear but the Spaniard fired his shot straight at Fabianski but West Ham continued to threaten and Benrahma narrowly missed the target from the edge of the box with a shot that hit the side netting.

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From an inviting cross from Harrison, Bamford's header was then placed straight at Fabianski who saved.

United were then denied a second penalty when Angelo Ogbonna handballed and the last effort of the half came from Luke Ayling whose attempt from the edge of the box was easily saved.

Whites head coach Marcelo Bielsa made a double change during the interval with Alioski and Harrison taken off for Helder Costa and Jamie Shackleton.

United began the second half brightly and Bamford's shot on the turn from the edge of the box flew just wide.

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But West Ham's Haller then failed to net with another good chance from inside the box as an Ayling block sent the effort wide and Meslier tipped Haller's header over the bar from the following corner.

Benrahma then cut inside but again fired over before sending a free-kick off target and Bamford then put a difficult header wide from a Raphinha cross.

Another effort from Benrahma then flew just wide but United then went close with an effort from Phillips tipped wide by Fabianski who safely held a powerful shot from Klich from the corner.

Back came West Ham with Bowen curling an effort wide and the Hammers then came within inches of taking the lead when a sliding effort from Pablo Fornals trickled just wide of the post.

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A superb save from Meslier then kept out Fabian Balbuena's header but a second Hammers goal looked imminent and it arrived in the 80th minute when Ogbonna met another free-kick with a header but this time saw the ball fly into the right hand corner of the net.

United's response was limited and indeed only another fantastic save from Meslier kept out Haller's overhead kick.

Yet another header from Balbuena then hit the post but Leeds then squandered a glorious chance to equalise in the first minute of added time when Rodrigo put a free header straight at Fabianski.

Leeds United: Meslier, Dallas, Ayling, Cooper, Alioski (Shackleton 46), Phillips, Klich, Raphinha, Harrison (Costa 46), Rodrigo, Bamford (Roberts 74). Subs not used: Casilla, Struijk, Hernandez, Poveda.

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West Ham United: Fabianski, Coufal, Balbuena, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Rice, Soucek, Bowen (Johnson 85), Benrahma (Noble 84), Fornals (Snodgrass 90), Haller. Subs not used: Randolph, Fredericks, Dawson, Lanzini.

Referee: Michael Oliver.

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