BIRMINGHAM, England, Feb 15 : Leeds United beat Championship side Birmingham City 4-2 on penalties to march into the fifth round of the FA Cup on Sunday after their match at St Andrew’s finished 1-1 after extra time.
Lukas Nmecha opened the scoring for Leeds four minutes into the second half, but Patrick Roberts equalised for the home side in the 89th minute to send the game into extra time, and utimately to penalties.
In the shootout, Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri saved Tommy Doyle’s effort at 2-2 while Roberts sent his effort sailing over the crossbar, before Sean Longstaff converted the decisive spot kick to send the Premier League side through.
“Lucas was massive today, obviously in the shootout but in the game, the first half especially,” Longstaff told TNT Sports.
“We’ve ground out a result. It’s never pretty in the FA Cup but we’re happy to get through. Any time you get drawn away to a team in a lower division to you, a lot of people expect you to rock up and win, but it’s never the case.
“I thought they were excellent today. Ultimately, it comes down to the moments and we were better in the bigger moments today.”
Leeds barely had any chances on goal in the first half but Birmingham’s Jay Stansfield nearly scored in the 11th minute with a volley that dipped towards goal, only for Perri to make a fine parry.
It was the visitors who opened the scoring in the 49th minute, though, when Nmecha was played through on goal, with the German forward skipping past a tackle and firing from range to beat Ryan Allsop in goal.
Birmingham pressed for an equaliser and they were finally rewarded in the 89th minute when Roberts pulled the trigger from outside the box, with his shot taking a deflection before finding the back of the net to send the St Andrew’s crowd into raptures.
Both teams came close to a winner in stoppage time before the match went into extra time and then penalties.
“We had a video (when preparing for penalties) but unfortunately for the first two penalties, because they didn’t have the number on the shirt it was difficult for me to see,” Leed’s Perri said.
“And the third one we didn’t know where he shot, so I went on instinct – and (I’m) happy to help the club.”
