Chelsea humiliated as ruthless Leeds run riot with goals

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

Leeds United delivered one of the shock results of the Premier League season on Wednesday night, dismantling Chelsea 3-1 at Elland Road with a performance full of intensity, precision and ruthlessness.

The visitors, boasting superior possession and attacking names on paper, were undone by a Leeds side that punished mistakes, pressed relentlessly and took their chances with clinical efficiency.

The victory, sealed with goals from Jaka Bijol, Ao Tanaka, and Dominic Calvert-Lewin, sent the home crowd into raptures and left manager Daniel Farke applauded off the touchline.

Leeds wasted no time asserting themselves. In just the sixth minute, Anton Stach whipped in a perfectly weighted corner that found Jaka Bijol, who powered a header into the left corner to make it 1-0. The early goal set the tone for a relentless first-half push.

Chelsea struggled to convert their dominance in possession-over 70% in the opening period, into meaningful chances.

Leeds, however, were more direct and decisive. Just before the break, Ao Tanaka doubled the lead with a stunning strike from outside the box, drilling the ball past Robert Sánchez to send Elland Road into a frenzy.

The visitors returned from halftime with renewed urgency, making double substitutions including bringing on Pedro Neto and Cole Palmer. Within minutes, their changes paid off. Neto latched onto a lofted pass from João Pedro and finished smartly to pull the score back to 2-1.

Chelsea then pushed for an equaliser. Enzo Fernández saw a shot blocked on the line, Palmer flashed a chance wide, and Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri made a critical save to deny Lukas Nmecha.

But just as Chelsea’s pressure peaked, disaster struck. A defensive error gifted Dominic Calvert-Lewin a tap-in in the 72nd minute. The striker calmly slotted home Leeds’ third to restore a two-goal cushion and silence Chelsea’s momentum.

Chelsea continued to probe, but their efforts lacked sharpness and composure. Missed chances from Pedro, Garnacho and Liam Delap ensured their frustration grew as the clock wound down.

Leeds, in contrast, looked organised and disciplined, absorbing pressure and picking the right moments to counter.

The match ended in front of 36,767 fans, with celebrations erupting across Elland Road as the referee blew the final whistle.