Championship
HuddersfieldHuddersfield Town0LeedsLeeds United2

Huddersfield Town 0-2 Leeds United: Ezgjan Alioski & Pablo Hernandez send Whites top

By Brendon MitchellBBC Sport
Ezgjan Alioski
Ezgjan Alioski scored his third goal of the season to put Leeds in front at Huddersfield

Leeds United returned to the top of the Championship table after second-half goals from Ezgjan Alioski and Pablo Hernandez gave them victory at West Yorkshire rivals Huddersfield Town.

Alioski opened the scoring shortly after the break, brilliantly volleying into the bottom corner as a half-cleared corner looped to him on the edge of the Terriers' box.

With the game becoming increasingly stretched as the hosts chased an equaliser, Hernandez headed Jack Harrison's cross past Kamil Grabara to make it 2-0.

The result moved Marcelo Bielsa's side above West Bromwich Albion, who face Swansea City on Sunday.

Victory was also Leeds' sixth in a row and extended their unbeaten run in the second tier to nine matches.

Huddersfield, meanwhile, are now winless in five games, as their resurgence under Danny Cowley appears to be grinding to a halt.

The Terriers have been besieged by injury problems, with Demeaco Duhaney drafted in at full-back a week after appearing for non-league Boston United in the FA Cup.

As it was, neither side looked particularly secure in defence as both forward lines wasted a host of opportunities throughout a competitive but at times wide-open derby contest.

Leeds goalkeeper Kiko Casilla produced two particularly important saves either side of half-time, first keeping out Steve Mounie's glancing header and then stopping Elias Kachunga's effort from point-blank range.

At the other end, Mateusz Klich struck the foot of the post after a well-worked corner routine and Helder Costa twice blazed over from inside the area.

Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa:

"We defended set-pieces badly, but our first goal from Alioski made it easier for us to develop the play.

"In the first half we should have created more chances, but we had some opportunities and we couldn't end them very well.

"We struggled with our last pass when we arrived in good positions, but it's good to have chances rather than not.

"The second half was different, but we had problems in both halves with set-pieces."

Huddersfield manager Danny Cowley:

"We tried to hurt them in the spaces behind and I thought we showed good penetration at times.

"But we weren't able to get good value for chances which we needed to.

"It's been a learning curve in football because Marcelo Bielsa is a pioneer in football.

"It's not terminal here, but there is a storm. But we have to roll with the punches and get over these disappointments."

Line-ups

Huddersfield

Formation 4-4-2

  • 1Grabara
  • 38Duhaney
  • 26Schindler
  • 27Stankovic
  • 33Hadergjonaj
  • 9Kachunga
  • 6HoggBooked at 69mins
  • 7BacunaBooked at 59mins
  • 19KoromaSubstituted forHarrattat 72'minutes
  • 16Grant
  • 24MounieSubstituted forDalyat 83'minutes

Substitutes

  • 13Coleman
  • 35Edmonds-Green
  • 37Harratt
  • 41Daly
  • 43High
  • 46Austerfield
  • 47Jackson

Leeds

Formation 3-3-3-1

  • 13Casilla
  • 2Ayling
  • 5WhiteBooked at 80mins
  • 28Berardi
  • 43KlichBooked at 45minsSubstituted forCaseyat 85'minutes
  • 19Hernández
  • 15DallasBooked at 45mins
  • 10Alioski
  • 9BamfordSubstituted forNketiahat 77'minutes
  • 22Harrison
  • 17Hélder CostaSubstituted forDouglasat 87'minutes

Substitutes

  • 3Douglas
  • 14Nketiah
  • 30Miazek
  • 33Hosanah
  • 36Gotts
  • 47Clarke
  • 49Casey
Referee:
Gavin Ward
Attendance:
23,805

Match Stats

Home TeamHuddersfieldAway TeamLeeds
Possession
Home42%
Away58%
Shots
Home10
Away14
Shots on Target
Home3
Away4
Corners
Home7
Away5
Fouls
Home10
Away15

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Huddersfield Town 0, Leeds United 2.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Huddersfield Town 0, Leeds United 2.

  3. Post update

    Gaetano Berardi (Leeds United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  4. Post update

    Foul by Kian Harratt (Huddersfield Town).

  5. Substitution

    Substitution, Leeds United. Barry Douglas replaces Hélder Costa.

  6. Post update

    Ezgjan Alioski (Leeds United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  7. Post update

    Foul by Kian Harratt (Huddersfield Town).

  8. Post update

    Attempt missed. Matty Daly (Huddersfield Town) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Florent Hadergjonaj.

  9. Substitution

    Substitution, Leeds United. Oliver Casey replaces Mateusz Klich.

  10. Substitution

    Substitution, Huddersfield Town. Matty Daly replaces Steve Mounie.

  11. Post update

    Attempt missed. Steve Mounie (Huddersfield Town) left footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Juninho Bacuna following a set piece situation.

  12. Post update

    Foul by Eddie Nketiah (Leeds United).

  13. Post update

    Jon Gorenc Stankovic (Huddersfield Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  14. Post update

    Attempt missed. Karlan Grant (Huddersfield Town) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Juninho Bacuna with a cross following a set piece situation.

  15. Booking

    Ben White (Leeds United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

  16. Post update

    Foul by Ben White (Leeds United).

  17. Post update

    Steve Mounie (Huddersfield Town) wins a free kick on the right wing.

  18. Goal!

    Goal! Huddersfield Town 0, Leeds United 2. Pablo Hernández (Leeds United) header from the right side of the six yard box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Jack Harrison with a cross following a fast break.

  19. Substitution

    Substitution, Leeds United. Eddie Nketiah replaces Patrick Bamford.

  20. Post update

    Foul by Ezgjan Alioski (Leeds United).