Leeds eventually secured victory over Plymouth in the FA Cup Fourth Round after a..
Leeds eventually secured victory over Plymouth in the FA Cup Fourth Round after a marathon 200 minutes, adding three more goals in extra time following back-to-back 1-1 draws.
The wet conditions at Home Park deteriorated as the evening progressed, posing a challenge for Leeds’ progress in the cup. Daniel Farke had to bring in key players like Georginio Rutter, Crysencio Summerville, Patrick Bamford, and Archie Gray from the bench to overcome Plymouth, who fought back after falling behind.
Foster, in his post-match briefing, acknowledged Leeds’ quality and expressed pride in his team’s valiant exit.
“I told them [the players] after the game how proud I am. We spoke about having no regrets, and I’m proud of how they approached the game, making it difficult for Leeds over two matches. The final score may be sobering for us in terms of their ruthlessness, but we won’t be disheartened. I know how well we played. We need to focus on the positives and carry them forward,” Foster commented.
Due to family emergencies and various player issues, Foster could only name six substitutes for the match. He explained, “We’ve got four boys who are ineligible, and we knew that. We had a couple of injuries leading into the game, which is disappointing but part of football. Two boys missed it due to family commitments, and while it challenged our numbers, family comes first. Mikel’s grandfather passed away, and Julio’s partner fell ill, given her pregnancy. It was a challenging time for him, and we send them our best wishes.”
Leeds will return to Home Park in the Championship in less than two weeks. In the next round of the FA Cup, they will face either Chelsea or Aston Villa, with the ties scheduled for the end of this month.
