Leeds United were left frustrated at Wembley after a semi-final loss to Chelsea, falling short of a place in the FA Cup final.
Daniel Farke’s side couldn’t quite seize their opportunity, as their push for a first final in 53 years ended in a narrow defeat at the national stadium.
A first-half strike from Enzo Fernández made the difference, sending Chelsea through to take on Manchester City in next month’s final.
Still, the way the second half played out left a bitter taste for Leeds players and supporters, with Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez turning to a bit of gamesmanship to manage the game and get the result over the line.
Ex-PGMOL chief fumes at Chelsea after Leeds incident
The Chelsea goalkeeper has earned the ire of the Leeds fans and supporters after he went down and faked an injury to stop the game while Leeds were building momentum.
It was clear the Spaniard was instructed to go down to allow the players to get fresh instructions from the coaching staff, and at least one Leeds player was fuming.
Ex-PGMOL chief Keith Hackett insisted that it was grossly unfair to Leeds, and it was clear that it was done to affect the flow of the game by Chelsea.
He told Football Insider: “With Leeds United clearly building momentum and attacking Chelsea’s defence, we see Sanchez go down, claiming injury.
“The referee, Jarred Gillett, had little option other than to stop the game and call the trainer.
“It is evident that these stoppages are to stop the flow of the game and allow the coaching staff of Chelsea to pass on instructions, and for players to take a water break.
“This is unfair, and IFAB needs to find an answer to this.
“Something must be done.”
The Whites need to look ahead
Daniel Farke will no doubt be disappointed as his side had chances to score and Chelsea were not exactly great despite finding a way to win.
That said, there’s no time to linger on it. Leeds United still aren’t mathematically safe and need a few more points to secure their Premier League status.
Up next is a home clash with Burnley at Elland Road on Friday, where they’ll be hoping to get the job done in front of their fans.
Even so, Farke can take credit for guiding Leeds to their first FA Cup semi-final since 1987—and if he keeps the Whites in the top flight, he’ll have achieved what he set out to do.
