Forward makes fresh impact and new captain as Leeds United youngsters begin new season
A forward has made a fresh impact upon Leeds United’s youngsters starting their new campaign.
A young forward made a fresh impact upon the first game of the new season for Leeds United’s under-21s.
Scott Gardner’s young Whites began their 2024-25 Premier League 2 campaign with Friday night’s clash against Stoke City at the bet365 Stadium which ended in a 1-1 draw.
Several Leeds youngsters have recently featured in pre-season for boss Daniel Farke’s first team and one of those youngsters in Luca Thomas made a fresh impact by firing Gardner’s side ahead from the penalty spot.
Whites defender Alfie Cresswell was sent tumbling in the box and Thomas - who featured in recent first team friendly at Harrogate Town - converted the spot kick to give the young Whites a 1-0 lead with 61 minutes on the clock.
Stoke then equalised 11 minutes later through a Nathan Lowe header to a Josh Bickerton cross and there was no further scoring as the game ended one apiece.
Fresh from signing his first pro deal this summer, 18-year-old defender Reuben Lopata-White captained the Whites, skippering the 21s for the first time.
The Whites youngsters will take in their first home game of the new season next Friday evening in a 7pm kick-off against Aston Villa at the LNER Community Stadium in York.
Stoke City under-21s: Cooper, Mears, Bickerton, Badley-Morgan, Griffin, Lipsiuc, Chibueze (Griffiths 79), Smith (Gromek 68), Adekoya, Lowe (C), Matondo (Jeffers 56). Subs not used: Brammer, Gyimah.
Leeds United under-21s: Mahady, Cresswell, Ferguson, Toulson (Pickles, Mullen, Lopata-White, Vincent (Render 77), Coleman, Thomas (Moore 90), Chadwick, Richards. Subs not used: Ombang, Monteiro.