Fabregas’ late penalty denies Leeds

Fabregas came off bench to score a last-gasp penalty, deny Leeds FA Cup third-round upset.

LONDON: Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas came off the bench to score a last-gasp penalty and deny Leeds an FA Cup third-round upset in yesterday’s 1-1 draw at the Emirates Stadium.

Simon Grayson’s Championship outfit led through a Robert Snodgrass spot-kick in the second half and they held on until the final stages thanks to a polished performance from goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel. A repeat of the 1972 FA Cup final at Wembley, when Leeds beat Arsenal to secure their only triumph in the competition, looked on the cards but the Gunners poured forward and Fabregas converted the penalty to set up a replay at Elland Road.

“It was a very difficult game,” said Fabregas. “We started too sloppy and didn’t pass the ball well enough or quick enough. They got confidence from that. They scored from a penalty that at this stage when you are a professional footballer you cannot risk these types of penalties. It’s so easy for them.

“We managed, in the last 30 minutes, to put in a very good performance and they were under a lot of pressure.”

In the other notable matches of the evening, Bolton beat York 2-0, Fulham thrashed Peterborough 6-2,  Millwall lost 4-1 to Birmingham and  Premiership strugglers West Ham managed a 2-0 win over Barnsley.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 9^th, 2011.