Leeds United secured a crucial 1-0 win over Middlesbrough on Tuesday night, but the victory was marred by some questionable officiating. Dan James scored the only goal of the game within two minutes, but Daniel Farke’s side struggled to press their advantage, with promotion-chasing Boro posing a significant threat.
The match was made even more nerve-wracking by the disallowance of two perfectly valid goals. Ao Tanaka and Patrick Bamford both had their efforts chalked off for offside, despite being clearly onside. The decisions sparked outrage among the Leeds United coaching staff and players, with Neil Warnock and Jermaine Beckford criticizing assistant referee Darren Williams for his errors.
Williams has now incorrectly ruled out two Leeds United goals in previous games, and Farke expressed his frustration with the officiating after the match. “It was crucial today to return back to a clean sheet,” Farke said. “Especially in the last few games, we have conceded too many goals.”
The win was a vital one for Leeds United, who are now back on top of the Championship table after Sheffield United lost to Millwall and Burnley were held to a stalemate by Derby County. Farke’s side will look to build on their momentum in the coming weeks, but the controversy surrounding the officiating will not be forgotten.
In a notable moment, referee Andrew Kitchen approached Tanaka after the disallowed goal, seemingly acknowledging the mistake that had been made. Journalist Graham Smyth shared a post on X, formerly Twitter, highlighting the incident, which added to the frustration felt by the Leeds United camp.
