Leeds United 4-0 Norwich City: Match report, player ratings

Goals from Ilia Gruev, Joel Piroe, Georginio Rutter and Crysencio Summerville ensured a miserable end to the Canaries’ season, with their hopes of a Wembley finale dashed by an incredibly slow start.

Josh Sargent hadn’t been on form in the first leg but instantly made an impact on the second, spinning with one touch to go through on goal but caught up by Ethan Ampadu.

Summerville was the hosts’ equivalent and had the game’s first chance shortly thereafter, exchanging passes with Rutter before firing well over.

Holding Leeds off early was vital for Norwich, but just seven minutes in they’d conceded the opener. City have become known for their clever set-pieces, and in the most important game of their season they were undone by one.

All expected Gruev to cross when he took a free-kick 30 yards out, including visiting goalkeeper Angus Gunn. By the time the Scot had realised he had a save to make the ball was in the bottom corner, and City’s chances of making the play-off final were miniscule.

They constructed a brief rebuttal until the 20th minute, but couldn’t convert a handful of promising attacks into any real chances.

Piroe then added to the collective yellow and green misery with his simple header, Gunn nowhere to be seen again when the Dutchman nodded home from four yards out.

The game wasn’t quite over yet, however, and Sargent had a golden chance to halve the deficit when Ashley Barnes found him through on goal two minutes later. He attempted to chip the onrushing Illan Meslier, but was unsuccessful to the home fans’ delight.

Joe Rodon had a chance to make it three when he met Summerville’s corner in 33 minutes in, but he miscued his header and saw it drift harmlessly wide.

Willy Gnonto was next to take aim, ending a swift Leeds counter with a tame shot fired straight at Gunn.

Before long it was three, Rutter adding to a disastrous half for Norwich when a defensive mess fell for the Frenchman and he made no mistake from 10 yards.

Jonathan Rowe and Dimitris Giannoulis had to combine last-ditch to deny Rutter a second on the brink of the break, with David Wagner relieved to get his men in for what was unlikely to be a calm and considerate briefing.

Whatever tack Wagner took was unsuccessful, however, with the pattern of home dominance resuming quickly. Piroe should have made it four within a minute of the restart, but he found only Gunn’s midriff.

Summerville then squandered two chances to get himself on the scoresheet, first heading over and then seeing his low drive kicked clear by Gunn, before teeing up Piroe again for a smothered effort of his own.

By the 60-minute mark it had become clear that there was no danger of an unlikely comeback, with the home crowd settling into a playlist of light-hearted songs and Wembley plan arrangement.

Substitute Borja Sainz, on for the struggling Sargent at half time, did his best to make something happen for Norwich, but in truth the Yorkshire side were comfortable throughout.

There was the brief jeopardy of whether Rowe would be sent off, Wagner replacing him with Christian Fassnacht immediately after Leeds fans had called for his dismissal. But otherwise there was little hope of any drama for the travelling contingent.

Summerville finally got his goal when Gunn parried straight to Junior Firpo to serve him a tap-in, with the final quarter of the game allowed to peter agonisingly out by Norwich.

Focus will turn swiftly to next season after the defeat, with a busy summer expected for sporting director Ben Knapper and the futures of several out-of-contract players to be revealed ahead of another Championship campaign.

LEEDS UNITED:

Substitutes:

28. Darlow (GK)

5. Cresswell

6. Cooper (on for Gruev, 83)

12. Anthony (on for Summerville, 74)

17. Shackleton

20. James (on for Gnonto, 68)

30. Gelhardt

33. Roberts (on for Rutter, 74)

49. Joseph (on for Piroe, 74)

Manager: Daniel Farke

Bookings: Gruev (54), Rutter (56)

Goals: Gruev (7), Piroe (20), Rutter (41), Summerville (68)

NORWICH CITY:

Substitutes:

12. Long (GK)

5. Hanley

7. Sainz (on for Sargent, 45)

14. van Hooijdonk (on for Barnes, 81)

15. McCallum (on for Giannoulis, 62)

16. Fassnacht (on for Gibson, 62)

19. Sorensen (on for Rowe, 81)

21. Batth

35. Fisher

Head Coach: David Wagner

Bookings: Rowe (37), Duffy (89), Sorensen (90+1)

Goals:

KEY MOMENTS

4 - Summerville exchanges passes with Rutter and shoots from a tight angle, but fires well over.

7 - GOAL LEEDS (Gruev): Gruev shoots from a free-kick when expected to cross, catching Gunn out to open the scoring.

20 - GOAL LEEDS (Piroe): Gnonto whips a cross in and Gunn fails to claim as Piroe nods in from four yards.

22 - Barnes sends Sargent through on goal with only Meslier to beat, but the Frenchman turns his chip behind for a corner.

33 - Rodon meets Summerville's corner, but miscues his header wide.

35 - Leeds counter quickly and find Gnonto on the edge of the box to shoot straight at Gunn.

41 - GOAL LEEDS (Rutter): A defensive mess from Norwich ends in the ball breaking to Rutter, who makes no mistake from 10 yards.

43 - Gnonto goes through before the home fans have even finished celebrating, but again strikes straight at Gunn.

45+2 - Rowe and Giannoulis combine last ditch to deny Rutter a second.

Half time: Leeds United 3-0 Norwich City

46 - Piroe should score when Summerville finds him in space, but he's denied by Gunn's midriff.

51 - Summerville heads Gray's cross over from 12 yards.

68 - GOAL LEEDS (Summerville): Gunn parries Gnonto's shot straight to Firpo and he tees Summerville up for a tap-in.

90 - James sends a free-kick well over.

Full time: Leeds United 4-0 Norwich City

PLAYER RATINGS

Gunn 3, Stacey 5, Duffy 4, Gibson 4, Giannoulis 6, Nunez 5, McLean 5, Sara 4, Barnes 5, Rowe 3, Sargent 4. Subs: Sainz 5, Fassnacht 5, McCallum 5, van Hooijdonk 5. 

MATCH STATISTICS

Possession: 59%-41%

Shots: 17-3

On target: 11-1

Corners: 8-2

Fouls: 14-10

ATTENDANCE: 36,384

REFEREE: Jarred Gillett