Two goals and crucial clean sheets as four Leeds United stars enjoy fantastic international performances
Tuesday was a good night for several Leeds United stars on international duty.
Leeds United’s European stars enjoyed impressive international outings on Tuesday with two goals scored and some important clean sheets kept.
Six members of Daniel Farke’s first-team squad were looking to represent their countries overnight, two of them English. James Trafford started and impressed in a 2-0 Nations League win over Czechia in Prague while Dominic Calvert-Lewin was an unused substitute.
On the continent, a quartet of Leeds players enjoyed equally impressive nights with none suffering defeat. The most notable showing came from summer signing Nico Elvedi, who scored in Switzerland’s 3-0 Nations League win over 10-man Scotland in Glasgow.
Jack Hendry was shown a straight red card for denial of a goalscoring opportunity inside 11 minutes, although it counted for nothing as Ricardo Rodriguez scored the resulting free-kick. Elvedi made it 2-0 on 55 minutes, his great run and finish meeting a Dan Ndoye cross.
Speaking during coverage of the game on BBC2, former Scotland striker James McFadden said of the goal: "It's such a good cross from Ndoye. The timing of the run and the finish from Elvedi too; it's a lovely move."
Burnley winger Zeki Amdouni belted home a third before full-time with Elvedi playing the full 90 minutes and adding a clean sheet to his goal. There was of course no Noah Okafor, who withdrew from Switzerland duty last month.
Elvedi’s fellow summer Elland Road arrival Jean-Matteo Bahoya also found himself on the scoresheet as France Under-21s beat Estonia 2-0. He replaced injured Ethan Mbappe inside 12 minutes and played much of the game in Estonia on the right wing.
Bahoya scored the second France goal in the 68th minute and it was a lovely finish. The Leeds winger cut in from the right and with space to shoot, curled a lovely left-footed effort beyond the Estonia goalkeeper and into the far bottom corner.
Elsewhere, there was no goal for Jaka Bijol but the defender did play his part in a clean sheet and 2-0 win at home to North Macedonia. According to Fotmob, his 11 defensive contributions - a combination of clearances, blocks, interceptions and tackles - were more than anyone else on the pitch.
And Ilia Gruev got an important 90 minutes under his belt in Bulgaria’s 0-0 draw at home to Estonia. Tuesday was a second appearance in quick succession for the midfielder, who hasn’t played for Leeds since suffering a serious knee injury back in April.