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| Daniel Farke, Manager of Leeds United, celebrates his team's victory after the Sky Bet Championship match between Middlesbrough and Leeds United at Riverside Stadium on April 22, 2024 in Middlesbrough, England. |
Leeds United boss Daniel Farke called the seven-goal thriller at the Riverside between Middlesbrough and his victorious Leeds United side a good advertisement for the Championship, as he complimented both sets of players for contributing to the spectacle.
In a thrilling game of football, Leeds ultimately came out on top with a 4-3 scoreline that sent them second in the league table with two games remaining. For Boro, it officially ended their play-off hopes, though there were plenty of positives to take from how they matched a promotion favourite, with their focus very much on building to try and strengthen for next season.
Farke said: “I think first of all it was a good advertisement for Championship football and all the supporters enjoyed the game between two good sides who really went for it and wanted to win and massive compliments to the lads to win this.
"The game started in the worst possible way for us and it was really unlucky and disappointing, a deflected pass and they scored. Middlesbrough played with freedom and it was more or less their last highlight and they could go for it. They're in good shape, nine games unbeaten and were 1-0 up early on and the whole stadium was buzzing versus Leeds United.
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"With so many young players, to show such a reaction and create so many chances and score fantastic goals was great. At times, we were a bit naive and it was a bit of a basketball game and we lost the ball unnecessarily in our half for the equaliser. But compliments to Middlesbrough, it was a fantastic performance.
"We showed a great mentality to go 3-2 up at half-time. It was important to calm them down and their nerves down against the ball and work a bit more on our structure against the bar and we controlled the game more against the ball in the second half. We wanted to allow them a bit more possession in areas where they can't hurt us.
"They had set-pieces but we cleared them really well. We wanted to win the game on the counter-attack. But it's football, it's the Championship. Out of one long ball they scored and in the last minutes their keeper was in our box more than his. They tried everything, the stadium was awake and we could feel the pressure. It was difficult. We needed to show some resilience and steel and we did. Many compliments to the heart and character of my players."
It was a brilliant game that had a little bit of everything. It had twists and turns as momentum to and froed. There was plenty of bite in the game between the two rivals and a superb atmosphere off the pitch, with two sets of fans enjoying the action unfolding before them and getting right behind their sides.
There was controversy too. Michael Carrick was left frustrated at full-time, with Leeds's third goal - now which probed decisive in the end - coming from Wilfried Gnonto who was in an offside position when he received the ball to run in behind. Farke was in no mood to apologise for it, however, feeling his side have had their fair share of decisions against over the course of the campaign.