Pablo Hernandez reflects on difficulties in putting away Western Sydney Wanderers

PABLO Hernandez admitted Leeds United made Saturday's friendly against Western Sydney Wanderers difficult for themselves by squandering chances until his late winner.
SCREAMER: Western Sydney Wanderers goalkeeper Nicholas Suman dives in vain as Leeds United's Pablo Hernandez fires in an unstoppable 95th-minute winner in Saturday's 2-1 victory at Bankwest Stadium. Photo by Matt King/Getty Images.SCREAMER: Western Sydney Wanderers goalkeeper Nicholas Suman dives in vain as Leeds United's Pablo Hernandez fires in an unstoppable 95th-minute winner in Saturday's 2-1 victory at Bankwest Stadium. Photo by Matt King/Getty Images.
SCREAMER: Western Sydney Wanderers goalkeeper Nicholas Suman dives in vain as Leeds United's Pablo Hernandez fires in an unstoppable 95th-minute winner in Saturday's 2-1 victory at Bankwest Stadium. Photo by Matt King/Getty Images.

Leeds raced into a ninth-minute lead through impressive 17-year-old Pole Mateusz Bogusz's second goal of pre-season but the Whites then missed a host of opportunities to add to their lead.

United's Australian hosts then levelled matters shortly after the restart through Kwame Yeboah but a dominant Whites then passed up further openings to put Wanderers to the sword until Hernandez brilliantly struck in the fifth minute of added time.

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The 34-year-old Spaniard cut inside from the right flank and evaded four defenders before smashing a rising shot into the top left corner to ensure Leeds ended their pre-season tour of Australia with a victory.

"We missed a lot of chances to win the game. I think we deserved the win today," said Hernandez.

"But this is football, sometimes you have chances and you miss them and after this it's difficult.

"They played good in defence but I continued to try to score the second goal until the end of the game and I am delighted that we achieved the goal.

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"Obviously it's important for us to win games but what's more important now is the work because we need to work in the games now to arrive in good condition for the first game in the league.

"But always it's better when you win."

Leeds will begin their new Championship campaign two weeks on Sunday at Bristol City with the Whites now returning home before flying out to Sardinia to face Cagliari Calcio next Saturday evening.