ANDY LONERGAN’S PENALTY save from James Tarkowski sent Championship leaders Leeds United into the fourth round of the EFL Cup after a dramatic 2-2 draw at Burnley on Tuesday.
Burnley skipper Tarkowski was the only player to fail from 12 yards in the shoot-out, which used the new ABBA system, and Stuart Dallas blasted home the decisive kick for a 5-3 victory on penalties.
Substitute Hadi Sacko had given Leeds the lead after a largely incident-free opening 80 minutes, running on to a precise Pablo Hernandez throughball to score through Nick Pope’s legs, which proved to be the start of a thrilling conclusion to normal time.
Burnley levelled from the penalty spot in the 89th minute, former Leeds striker Chris Wood scoring on his first appearance against his old club, although the visitors nudged back ahead in stoppage time, scoring from 12 yards themselves thanks to Hernandez.
Robbie Brady’s picture-perfect free-kick in the sixth minute of injury time forced an extra 30 minutes, during which neither side could find a winning goal at Turf Moor.
Leeds then scored all five of their penalties to end a run of five successive exits in visits to Premier League opposition in the competition, while Burnley remain without a home win in the EFL Cup since 2013.
Scott Arfield forced an early save from Lonergan, the goalkeeper palming away a 20-yard drive in the fourth minute of his second debut for Leeds, while Kevin Long sent a free header wide from a dangerous Charlie Taylor free-kick.
Burnley should have opened the scoring after 35 minutes, Arfield slipping Sam Vokes into the box before diverting the return ball wide with his first-time shot.
The Premier League side continued to work the better openings after the interval and Ashley Westwood’s firm strike was pushed away by Lonergan after 79 minutes.
That save proved to be a massive moment as Leeds, quarter-finalists last season, immediately took the lead at the other end.
With former Leeds left-back Taylor caught out of position well up the pitch, Hernandez sent fellow substitute Sacko racing through on goal and he drilled a fine shot through Pope’s legs.
Hernandez almost added a second with a free-kick that cleared the crossbar, but Burnley were handed a late chance to level when Gaetano Berardi was adjudged to have brought down Long.
It was Wood who stepped up to score from the penalty spot, the striker recording his third goal since a club-record move from Elland Road.
But there was even more drama to come, referee Darren Bond awarding another dubious penalty for Tarkowski’s holding of Kemar Roofe, with Hernandez converting.
Incredibly, the victory was still not secure for Leeds and when Burnley won a free-kick in a central position 25 yards out it could not have been in a better position for Brady.
The Republic of Ireland international knew he had to score to force extra-time and the winger produced a marvellous strike that bent away from Lonergan to level the scores again.
Extra-time produced no clear chances for either side and using the new penalty system, Leeds kept their cool – Ezgjan Alioski and Dallas both beating Pope after Lonergan denied Tarkowski.
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