Mateo Joseph sends rallying cry as Leeds United teammate sums up Portsmouth draw in two words
Leeds United salvaged a point at home to newly-promoted Portsmouth on Saturday.
Mateo Joseph has promised he and his Leeds United teammates will ‘keep working’ after starting the season with a disappointing 3-3 draw against Portsmouth on Saturday.
Joseph was picked to lead the line at Elland Road after an impressive pre-season saw him score four goals, with the experienced Patrick Bamford on the bench as he continues to build fitness. The 20-year-old was one of Leeds’ better performers on the day but missed his biggest chance and saw three teammates find the net on a dramatic opening day.
After rattling the woodwork three times in the opening exchanges, Leeds took an early lead through Pascal Struijk’s penalty but conceded twice before half-time to go behind. Wilfried Gnonto levelled shortly after the break but Daniel Farke’s side were unable to build on that and Callum Lang’s 92nd-minute penalty looked to have secured all three points for Portsmouth.
Substitute Brenden Aaronson was able to find space to squirm a late leveller past Will Norris but then missed an even later - and possibly easier - opportunity to win it, capping off a chaotic afternoon even by Leeds’ standards. The overall feeling will be one of disappointment among the squad but Joseph has vowed to keep improving.
After reflecting on Saturday’s result, the Whites striker wrote on X: “Amazing atmosphere at Elland Road. We didn’t get the victory we wanted, but the team gave it their all. We’ll keep working for the upcoming games!”
Farke insisted he was ‘not angry’ to see his side drop points but the overriding emotion inside Elland Road was of frustration. Frustration that the early lead was not built on, frustration in seeing sloppy errors lead to poor goals and frustration that after finding the time to equalise and carve out one final huge opening, Aaronson hooked his effort wide.
And midfielder Ilia Gruev evidently felt the same, taking to X and simply writing: “Frustrating day”.
Leeds’ late resilience did see them earn a point, however, and extend their record of avoiding defeat after scoring the first goal. Farke’s men did not lose once after breaking the deadlock last season - the only team to do so. But four wins from four in pre-season and a far more stable summer encouraged hope of the fast start that proved elusive a year ago, and those leaving Elland Road on Saturday could not help but feel it was an opportunity missed.
Speaking to LUTV after the game, vice captain Pascal Struijk said: "This is, I would say, like a typical Championship game where everything can happen. We knew it was going to be difficult because it’s against a newly-promoted side, look at Ipswich last season, they come full of confidence so we knew it was going to be tough.
"But at the beginning we had a lot of chances, we only scored one and then they score two goals and then you have to chase the game a little bit."
Leeds don’t have to wait long until they return to Elland Road, with Middlesbrough the visitors for Wednesday evening’s Carabao Cup first round. Farke’s side then go to West Bromwich Albion for their first away game of the season on Saturday.