Sheffield Wednesday knock rivals Leeds United out of Carabao Cup with shoot-out win

Sheffield Wednesday knocked Yorkshire rivals Leeds United out of the Carabao Cup after winning 3-0 on penalties following a 1-1 draw at a virtually empty Hillsborough.

Wednesday captain Barry Bannan, Ike Ugbo and Liam Palmer all hit the target in the shoot-out, while saved efforts from Leeds pair Joel Piroe and Sean Longstaff sandwiched Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s miss.

After Leeds substitute Jayden Bogle had fired a late equaliser to cancel out visiting goalkeeper Karl Darlow’s own goal, a Wednesday side made up mainly of academy players caused a stunning second-round upset.

Wednesday fans answered the call of the club’s Supporters Trust to boycott the tie in protest against owner Dejphon Chansiri and only a half-full South Stand was in use at Hillsborough apart from the away end.

Youthful

Owls fans have stepped up their demands for Chansiri to sell the cash-strapped club after various embargoes placed on them for tax debts, late payments to players and staff, plus money owed to rival clubs, have left them in a perilous position.

Head coach Henrik Pedersen made 10 changes following Saturday’s 2-2 draw at Wrexham so as not to risk his senior players in a threadbare squad.

Centre-half Cole McGhee and striker George Brown, both 19, made their debuts, while Leeds made nine changes from their 5-0 weekend defeat at Arsenal.

Defenders Jaka Bijol and Sebastiaan Bornauw made their first appearances and fellow summer signings Longstaff, Lukas Nmecha and Noah Okafor made their first starts.

The visitors pinned youthful Wednesday – seven of their starters have yet to make a league appearance for the club – in their own half for most of the first period, but were restricted to few scoring chances.

Match action

On-loan goalkeeper Ethan Horvath saved superbly to deny fellow American Brenden Aaronson at the back post, while Wednesday’s best chance before the break fell to captain Jamal Lowe, who curled a free-kick narrowly wide.

Piroe’s free-kick curled off target and Aaronson fired another effort wide early in the second half before Calvert-Lewin stepped off the bench for his first Leeds appearance.

Despite Leeds’ pressure, Wednesday took the lead in the 63rd minute.

Reece Johnson‘s low drive was well-saved by Darlow, but Lowe pounced on the loose ball and his cross was fumbled by the Leeds goalkeeper across his own goal-line.

Wednesday sent on 16-year-old forward Will Grainger for his debut before Horvath produced two brilliant saves to deny Calvert-Lewin and fellow substitute Willy Gnonto in quick succession.

Leeds continued to press for an equaliser and were rewarded when Bogle drilled home a low finish with nine minutes left.

Calvert-Lewin steered substitute Anton Stach’s free-kick off target from in front of goal and was denied again by Horvath in stoppage time as Wednesday held on to take the tie to penalties.

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