Norwich and Leeds play out stalemate in Championship playoff first leg
The play-offs are ever famed for excitement and nerves, but it was the latter which was perhaps the overriding emotion in the opening stages at Carrow Road.
No play-off semi-final has ever been won in the first 15 minutes of the first leg, so it was of little surprise when both teams began by just feeling each other out.
It was Norwich who settled the quicker though, and they created the game’s first chance when Josh Sargent headed Jack Stacey’s teasing delivery narrowly wide of the post.
It took Leeds until the half-hour mark to come to the party, but when they did they managed to ripple the back of the net, only for Junior Firpo’s effort to be ruled out after Georginio Rutter strayed offside in the build-up.
Trepidation certainly played a part in what was an underwhelming first half, but considering that both sides came into this clash on the back of some patchy late-season form, the 0-0 half-time scoreline wasn’t a great surprise.
Daniel Farke’s side were at least a little more adventurous early in the second half, finally working Angus Gunn when he was forced to beat away Crysencio Summerville’s near post effort.
Summerville was actually the match-winner in a 3-2 Leeds victory in this corresponding fixture in the regular league season, with the fear of falling behind in a playoff potentially worth £100 million prevailing throughout.
The Canaries had a setback when Josh Sargent limped off with a little under 10 minutes to go.
This did their hopes of a Wembley date no favours, and with a packed Elland Road awaiting them in midweek, this is arguably a result which suited Leeds more than their hosts.
Farke will certainly fancy his chances of getting one over on his former employers once back in West Yorkshire, although with the negative historical omen that Leeds have never won promotion via the Football League play-offs, this tie remains very much open.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Marcelino Nunez (Norwich)
