New Leeds United striker opens account and defender back from injury in under-23s cup defeat

Mateo Joseph bagged his first goal for Leeds United's under-23s but the young Whites saw their Premier League Cup adventure ended through Monday's 5-1 defeat to West Ham United at Rush Green.
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January signing Joseph fired the Whites into a 16th-minute lead but a quality Hammers side hit back to net a nap hand of goals with the help of two penalties.

For Leeds, Leo Hjelde bagged his first minutes since suffering a knee injury in the closing stages of February's 3-0 defeat at Everton for United's first team, the Norwegian defender coming through 45 minutes.

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The 19-year-old returned to the first team bench as an unused substitute in Saturday's 3-0 victory at Watford.

LANDMARK STRIKE: January recruit Mateo Joseph, above, netted his first goal for Leeds United's under-23s in Monday's Premier League Cup clash at West Ham but the young Whites fell to a 5-1 defeat. Picture by LUFC.LANDMARK STRIKE: January recruit Mateo Joseph, above, netted his first goal for Leeds United's under-23s in Monday's Premier League Cup clash at West Ham but the young Whites fell to a 5-1 defeat. Picture by LUFC.
LANDMARK STRIKE: January recruit Mateo Joseph, above, netted his first goal for Leeds United's under-23s in Monday's Premier League Cup clash at West Ham but the young Whites fell to a 5-1 defeat. Picture by LUFC.

Two days later, the teen lined up for the under-23s and proved key in staving off early Hammers pressure, a fine block by Hjelde keeping out a goal-bound effort in the second minute.

Aji Alese then squandered a glorious chance when sending a free header from a corner wide.

Leeds then went ahead in the 16th minute with a rapid counter attack from a Hammers corner from which Amari Miller played in Joseph who coolly converted.

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But the Hammers drew level just five minutes later after a poor pass from Hjelde was intercepted, the Hammers working the ball to Armstrong Okoflex who hammered home into the bottom left corner.

Both sides then continued to attack in an end to end game but the hosts went ahead eight minutes before the break as Dan Chesters netted from close range.

The goal came despite a fine initial save from Whites keeper Dani van den Heuvel to claw a shot away from under the bar.

The returning Hjelde was taken off during the interval as Kris Moore was introduced and Leeds survived early pressure before turning the screw in the bid for an equaliser.

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A Sean McGurk free-kick from some 30 yards out was put narrowly wide but moments later the Hammers were handed a golden opportunity to bag their third goal as Moore clattered into menacing right back Harrison Ashby into the box for a penalty.

Okoflex stepped up to take the spot kick and sent a powerful effort into the bottom left corner, just beating van den Heuvel who went the right way.

West Ham then pressed for a fourth and van Den Heuvel produced a fine save to tip away a curling shot from Sonny Perkins that was heading for the top left corner.

Joe Snowdon was then brought on to replace Dean as United's second change and the Whites kept plugging away in search of a route back in, Joseph seeing two shots from inside the area blocked after a Miller pullback.

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Charlie Allen then replaced Sean McGurk as the final Whites change in the 80th minute but the Hammers bagged their fourth goal and second from the penalty spot in the 81st minute after Moore again fouled Ashby upon cutting in from the right.

Perkins this time stood up to take the spot kick and sent a clinical finish into the top right corner but West Ham still weren't done and added a fifth in the 84th minute as a flowing move was finished off by Emmanuel Longelo's shot which was rifled into the roof of the net.

Leeds United under-23s v West Ham United under-23s: Van den Heuvel, Sutcliffe, Mullen, Hjelde (Moore 46), McCarron, Jenkins, Bate, Miller, McGurk (Allen 80), Dean (Snowdown 69), Joseph. Subs not used: Ombang, McKinstry.

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