Leeds United delivered their best performance of the season, defeating Norwich City 4-0 in the Championship play-off semi-finals.
Leeds United emphatically put a difficult end to the season behind them with a 4-0 victory over Norwich City at Elland Road, moving within 90 minutes of an immediate return to Wembley.
In a raucous atmosphere, Leeds ended their 37-year wait for a home play-off win. The match was set in motion by a brilliantly executed free-kick from Ilia Gruev. Joel Piroe, delivering arguably his best performance in a Leeds shirt, doubled the lead shortly after, followed by Georginio Rutter adding a third to cap off an incredible first half.
Norwich offered little resistance after the restart, and Leeds could have scored more than just the one additional goal from Crysencio Summerville. At Elland Road, I saw Glen Kamara dominate the game for Leeds.
Leeds were dominant from start to finish, reflected in the statistics. Daniel Farke’s side had 11 shots on target compared to Norwich’s one, controlled 58 percent of possession, and stifled any attempts from the away side. While Leeds’ attacking stars will grab the headlines, Glen Kamara’s performance should not go unnoticed.
Kamara, the £5m ace, was named man of the match in a cagey first leg at Carrow Road and went up another level in the second leg, dominating against the likes of Gabriel Sara. He completed 71 passes with a 93.4 percent success rate and executed all three of his attempted dribbles. His quick feet and thinking consistently got him out of trouble.
Though he didn’t make any tackles according to the stats, Kamara was constantly pressuring Norwich’s midfield, preventing them from building attacks. His link-up play down the left with Firpo and Summerville was crucial to Leeds’ sustained attacks.
Kamara’s performance over the two legs was monumental and a timely return to form after being out of the team at the end of the season.
Leeds are clearly a better team with Kamara in it. During his absence, it quickly became evident that Leeds lacked control on the ball, contributing to their defensive struggles in matches against QPR and Middlesbrough. His performances make him a certain starter in the final, and his passing will be key against possession-focused teams like Southampton.