Leeds United booked their place in the FA Cup semi-finals for the first time in nearly four decades after edging past West Ham on penalties at the London Stadium.
Ao Tanaka marked his return to the starting XI with a first-half goal, offering a timely reminder of why he deserves more opportunities in the Premier League.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin looked to have wrapped things up after the break with a well-taken penalty, but West Ham struck twice deep into stoppage time to force extra time.
In the end, Lucas Perri emerged as the hero in the shootout, saving two penalties to send Leeds through and secure their place in the semi-finals for the first time in 39 years.
West Ham boss rues luck after defeat to Leeds United
Nuno Espirito Santo is not pleased with the way the game finished, despite being super proud of the way his team fought back in injury time.
However, he insisted that penalties are all about luck and he is not happy at the way his team bowed out of the FA Cup despite creating the better chances in extra time.
Nuno said on TNT Sports: “It’s tough. It’s sad. The way we did it has to make us proud because we reacted in the second half, we went for the game, and in extra time, we had the best chances.
“Deciding on penalties is luck, I don’t like. We were not efficient enough to proceed.
“We reacted really well, we hit the post, we scored. Fine margins in VAR. We all felt the game had turned to our side.
“To be decided on penalties is sad. Sometimes it goes your way, sometimes the other way. Today it’s Leeds. It showed we can never give up, we have to keep fighting.”
The FA Cup is now a headache for Daniel Farke
Staying in the Premier League is still the main objective for Leeds United, but you can’t really blame supporters for starting to dream about FA Cup glory.
Leeds have booked their place in the semi-finals for the first time in nearly 40 years, and the mood around the club is naturally beginning to shift.
Daniel Farke had insisted just weeks ago that winning the FA Cup wasn’t a realistic target this season, yet here they are, one step away from the final.
Now, the Leeds boss faces the tricky task of keeping expectations in check, especially with his top players all desperate for a chance to play at Wembley.
With one key player already sidelined through injury, he’ll need to carefully balance his squad as the semi-finals approach, where they will face Chelsea.
Premier League survival remains the priority, but it’s impossible not to get caught up in the excitement of a Wembley trip, and maybe even an FA Cup final.
