ST. MARY'S STADIUM : UNBELIEVABLE

[luckwin]

Big match di questa giornata di Championships era sicuramente quello tra le vecchie decadute Southampton-Leeds.
Appoggiati, anche discretamente su bf erano i Saints in virtù anche dei recenti risultati positivi che li hanno portati al settimo posto, a - 2 proprio dal Leeds.
Pubblico delle grandi occasioni per un match di B inglese con 30,173 spettatori.
Ebbene...è accaduto l'incredibile.
Alla fine del primo tempo, è 3-0 Saints che a inizio ripresa sfiorano anche il quarto gol (salvataggio sulla linea) e così si resta fino al 70mo.
Qui accade l'assurda rimonta che manda il St.Mary's nella disperazione con 4 gol in 15 minuti dei bianchi di Leeds e l'incredibile finale di 3-4!!!

Per gli amanti del calcio inglese e di questi episodi che accrescono la passione per questo sport ma di pari passo anche il numero di ictus e infarti, ecco la cronaca di quest'assurda partita tratto dal report sul sito dei Saints.

Saints 3 Leeds 4 - report

Harry Redknapp sprung a few surprises in a bid to solve his side's goalscoring problems. He opted for pace rather than power up front against a Leeds defence which had looked slow when the sides met a month earlier.

Brett Ormerod was recalled with Ricardo Fuller dropping to the bench and Marian Pahars was given his first start of the season on the left of midfield ahead of Neil McCann. It was his first start since April of last year.

Tomasz Hajto recovered from a hamstring injury but only made the bench with Rory Delap retaining his place at right-back while Dennis Wise replaced Djamel Belmadi with Matthew Oakley moving to the right of midfield. Darren Powell was sidelined by a thigh strain.

Kenwyne Jones was omitted after failing to return on time from international duty and Kamil Kosowski failed to make the bench after being away with Poland.

Leeds left David Healy on the bench, pairing Rob Hulse and Robbie Blake in attack. Gylffi Einarsson was out with a dislocated shoulder.

Saints: Niemi, Delap, Lundekvam (Hajto HT), Svensson, Higginbotham, Oakley, Quashie, Wise (Fuller HT), Pahars (McCann 45+1), Walcott, Ormerod. Subs: Belmadi, Smith.
Leeds: Sullivan, Kelly, Butler, Kilgallon, Harding, Richardson (Healy 67), Derry, Miller, Lewis, Hulse, Blake. Subs: Pugh, Douglas, Walton, Bennett.

Referee: Iain Williamson Attendance: 30,173

Leeds were first to threaten but Niemi comfortably saved Hulse's header. Svensson almost got on the end of a long throw by Delap but was judged to have fouled on his charge forward.

Lundekvam kicked clear in front of goal from Blake and then Svensson just failed to get his head on a Quashie corner which flashed across the goalmouth. wise was being booed by the large contingent of Leeds fans but almost set up Svensson who was again called for a foul.

Sullivan just got a fist to Oakley's cross ahead of Svensson steaming in behind and as Saints kept up the pressure Pahars teed up Quashie whose low 20-yard blast was kicked off the line by Kilgallon with Svensson unable to direct the follow-up header.

Sullivan cleanly caught a Wise free-kick ahead of Svensson who was looking an early threat from set-pieces. After 20 minutes Pahars had his first clean shot on goal, a 20-yard clipped effort which Sullivan saved.

Butler was booked a minute later for chopping down Walcott who then played a dangerous low ball across goal from the right. It just evaded Ormerod and was kicked behind at the far post by Kelly.

Form Quashie's corner on the right, Saints took the lead on 27 minutes. Svensson's powerful header may well have been going in but PAHARS made sure nodding in from close range by the right post. It was his first goal since netting against Bolton in April 2004.

Two minutes later Lundekvam climbed well to nod home a chipped free-kick by Wise but the effort was ruled out and Wise was booked for taking the kick too quickly.

Pahars then threaded through the inside right channel for Delap breaking from deep behind the defence but Sullivan was off his line quickly to block with his legs at his near post.

Saints stretched their lead on 34 minutes when Walcott skinned Kilgallon and broke down the right before delivering a perfect low cross for QUASHIE to drill into the bottom right corner on the run from 16 yards.

Wise and Oakley combined to set up Quashie who got underneath the shot which looped well over. Five minutes before the break a left-wing chip by Lewis set up a free header for Hulse but it was straight at Niemi.

Blake's 25-yard free-kick beat the wall was straight at Niemi and in he second minute of stoppage time Saints won a penalty when Higginbotham crossed and Oakley's header was handled by Harding. After a lengthy delay QUASHIE slammed the spot-kick into the top right corner for his fourth goal of the season to put him as the club's top scorer.

Before the kick-off Pahars hobbled off to be replaced by McCann.

Half-time: Saints 3 Leeds 0

The attendance of 30,173 was a season's best in the Coca-Cola Championship - and good news for all Saints fans who had backed it with Bet24.com!

Saints then made a double switch at the start of the second half with Hajto replacing Lundekvam and Fuller coming on for Wise. Oakley moved into the middle with Walcott on the right and Fuller partnering Ormerod.

Walcott showed blistering pace as he sprinted past Harding but this time his low cross was kicked behind. McCann's wicked inswinger almost crept in at the far post but Sullivan just tipped it behind. Quashie's corner from the other flank saw Svensson's header deflected behind and the third corner produced a Southampton foul.

Ormerod was desperately unlucky not to make it four on 57 minutes when his diving header was stopped on the line at almost point blank range by Sullivan following a flick-on by Walcott.

McCann's low 20-yard shot skidded inches past the left post on 62 minutes and then Lewis was booked for a foul on Delap.

Oakley was penalised for a foul on Lewis to give Leeds a free-kick on the left corner of the area but Miller clipped the free-kick just over.

Leeds sent on Healy for Richardson on 67 minutes and he almost made an immediate impact but Svensson blocked the shot. But the resulting corner on the right was nodded in powerfully at the far post by BUTLER who was left free 12 yards out to give the visitors a 70th-minute lifeline.

McCann had a shot blocked and Walcott's header would not quite fall for Ormerod in front of goal.

Leeds set up a tense finale as they got a second 14 minutes from time. Healy drove in low from the right and BLAKE drilled in on the run from 10 yards to give his side a fighting chance. Leeds players reacted angrily as Niemi refused toe release the ball but the referee soon calmed it down.

McCann produced a lovely turn to cut along the byline but his low cross was smuggled over the bar by the keeper. Walcott appeared to be fouled by Harding but no foul was given and he needed lengthy treatment.

While he was off Leeds got a penalty of their own as Higginbotham handled Healy's ball forward. The referee pointed straight to the spot and HEALY slammed the penalty into the top left corner with Niemi going the wrong way for an equaliser on 83 minutes.

Incredibly Leeds went in front two minutes later when Hulse laid the ball across the box and MILLER raced in to drive into the bottom right corner.

Fuller then lashed an angled shot wide of the right post as shell-shocked Saints tried to recover after being on the wrong end of four goals in 15 minutes.

In stoppage time, Quashie was booked for a foul of frustration and now collects a one-match ban putting him out of the trip to Wolves.

Full-time: Saints 3 Leeds 4

[nat99]

e pace sia