Leeds United star sends 4-word message to match-winning Championship promotion rival
Leeds United’s Championship rivals kept up with the promotion pace thanks to their two-time goalscorer.
Mateo Joseph has praised ‘on fire’ Championship promotion rival Eliezer Mayenda following his brace in Sunderland’s a Friday night 2-1 win at Sheffield Wednesday.
Sunderland enjoyed a much-needed return to winning ways at Hillsborough following consecutive defeats, the first of which came in dramatic fashion at Elland Road a fortnight ago. And they had Mayenda to thank for it, with the 19-year-old scoring either side of half-time to ensure all three points returned to the Stadium of Light.
The striker’s first-half opener was scored in controversial fashion, with replays showing he controlled a long ball with his arm before bundling the ball beyond Wednesday goalkeeper James Beadle. But after Callum Paterson equalised, Mayenda was on hand with 20 minutes to go, heading home a deep cross to keep his side clinging on in the Championship promotion race.
Joseph’s Mayenda message
Sunderland remain eight points away from second-placed Sheffield United but following Leeds’ 1-1 draw at home to West Brom, their cushion on the fourth-placed Black Cats was cut from 13 points to a still healthy 11. Star man Mayenda received plenty of congratulations on Instagram following his Man of the Match display, with Whites striker Joseph writing: “You’re on fire brother”.
It is likely the pair know each other via international allegiances, with Joseph and Mayenda both regulars at Spanish youth level. The Sunderland frontman has been involved at Under-17 level while Leeds frontman Joseph is scoring regularly for Spain Under-21s, but the pair will almost certainly have trained together during international breaks.
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Mayenda might expect to be competing for Under-21 minutes with Joseph soon, with the teenager enjoying an excellent campaign at the Stadium of Light. Friday’s brace took him onto six goals for the campaign, four of which have been scored against Sheffield Wednesday.
Joseph injury latest
Joseph would kill for the kind of decisive brace his compatriot bagged over the weekend, with the 21-year-old finding the net just once since mid-October. Many of the striker’s recent appearances have been from the bench with less than a quarter of the game remaining, but there have still been chances that have gone to waste.
After coming on with the score a 1-1 on Saturday, Joseph almost enjoyed an instant impact but his driving run and finish rattled the away side’s cross bar, rather than rippling the net - an outcome typical of the Spanish youth international’s luck at the minute. There also appeared to be a possible injury issue which Daniel Farke revealed will be looked into as the week goes on.
“A few concerns about Mateo because there was this one situation when he got a hit,” he said. “I think it was an offside situation and he ran at the first post and by a hit he rolled his ankle a little bit. I was fearing for a few minutes that I have to take him off a little bit because for four or five minutes he was just limping around. Then it settled so hopefully it's not too bad but we have to assess it."