Two goals in four second-half minutes helped a much-changed Leeds United come from behind to beat Derby County 3-1 at Pride Park to book their place in the FA Cup fourth round.
An upset had appeared on the cards at half-time after Ben Brereton Diaz fired the Championship side into a 35th-minute lead, moments after Jacob Widell Zetterstrom had denied Joel Piroe from the penalty spot.
But the visitors, who made eight changes from their 4-3 loss at Newcastle United in midweek, came out on the front foot after the interval, deservedly turning the tie on its head 10 minutes into the second period.
First Wilfried Gnonto lashed an unstoppable drive through Derby’s previously unbeatable Sweden goalkeeper at his near post after Piroe’s clever dummy had opened up the home side’s defence.
Ben Brereton Diaz celebrates after opening the scoring for Derby against Leeds
And then a lovely flowing passing move from Daniel Farke’s in-form team involving the likes of Lukas Nmecha, Noah Okafor and the impressive Piroe ended with Zetterstrom only parrying the latter’s effort from the edge of the area, with the alert Ao Tanaka tucking home the rebound from close range.
Wilfried Gnonto celebrates with Ilia Gruev after equalising
That quickfire double strike knocked the stuffing out of Derby, positioned 17 places below Leeds in the football pyramid, and the visitors sealed a deserved win in stoppage time when substitute James Justin finished off a counterattack as his team took their place in the hat for Monday evening’s fourth-round draw.
What the managers said…
Leeds boss Daniel Farke to TNT Sports:
“Many compliments to the lads. Back to winning ways, we know how difficult such a fixture is, so I would label it nearly a 50-50 game. Of course, Premier League side, you are perhaps the favourite, but Championship side, they had no midweek game, we had a horrendous, difficult schedule, rotate a lot, and they could be on it today.
Danny Batth and Joel Piroe battle for the ball
“And then in front of an excited home crowd. It’s always a difficult game, especially when you miss so many chances like we did in the first half and you miss a penalty, you hit the inside of the post, the outside of the post, and with their chance they score.
“Then you could easily lose such a game. So many compliments, how mature and disciplined and professional we played this game and were able to turn this game, also deserved in a really good game, so compliments also to Derby, but I think we deserve to be in the next round and many compliments to the players.”