Leeds United keeper Lucas Perri was their shootout hero as they edged hosts West Ham United 4-2 on penalties on Sunday to reach the FA Cup semi-finals for the first time since 1987 after surrendering a commanding 2-0 lead in a dramatic finale.
West Ham scored twice within four minutes in second-half stoppage time to wipe out Leeds‘ comfortable advantage before the contest finished 2-2 after extra time and went to penalties.
West Ham‘s 20-year-old debutant Finlay Herrick, who came off the bench in the final moments to replace the injured Alphonse Areola, initially gave his side hope by saving the opening spot-kick from Joel Piroe.
But the hosts were unable to capitalise as Perri denied Jarrod Bowen and Pablo, before Pascal Struijk scored the winning penalty to send Leeds into the last four where they will play Chelsea.
“This is the magic of the Cup, anything can happen and today was a crazy and memorable game… today we celebrate qualifying for the semi-finals and when the time comes we will prepare to have a good game against Chelsea,” Perri told the BBC.
Leeds broke through in the 26th minute, as Japan international Ao Tanaka launched a pass to James Justin on the left, then sprinted into the box to receive Noah Okafor’s cross and fooled two defenders with a clever twist, before slotting a left-footed shot into the net.
West Ham pushed for an equaliser early in the second half and almost got it after the hour mark, with Taty Castellanos meeting Adama Traore’s cross with a brilliant diving header, but the ball hit the woodwork.
Then West Ham‘s Max Kilman brought down Brenden Aaronson with a sliding challenge in the box and the VAR asked the referee to check the pitchside screen, resulting in a penalty for Leeds which Dominic Calvert-Lewin confidently put away in the 75th minute.
WEST HAM FIGHT BACK
West Ham‘s remarkable rescue act began in the 93rd minute when Mateus Fernandes pounced on Bowen’s shot that came off the post to find the unguarded net, prompting the home fans leaving the stadium to return to their seats.
The equaliser arrived four minutes later as Axel Disasi stretched his boot high into the air to meet Adama Traore’s cross and guide the ball home as the West Ham fans inside the London Stadium erupted.
West Ham were in control going into extra time and found the net twice early on, but both efforts were ruled out for offside.
Just before extra time ended, West Ham‘s Areola appeared to pull a muscle and could not continue, with Herrick coming on to make his first-team debut as the game headed to penalties.
In the shootout, Herrick dived to his right to deny Piroe, but West Ham‘s celebrations were halted swiftly as Perri kept out Bowen’s shot to keep the teams level.
Perri denied Pablo at 3-2 to give the visitors the advantage, before Struijk scored the decisive effort for Leeds, who have won the FA Cup once in 1972.
Manchester City will face Southampton in the other semi-final.
(Reuters)
