Leeds United picked up their first win of the summer, beating fellow Premier League side Sunderland 1-0 in New Jersey and the performance offered plenty for Daniel Farke to like, alongside a few things to work on before the season starts.
The Goal
Lukas Nmecha settled it inside nine minutes with a moment of real quality. After Ao Tanaka won the ball off Enzo Le Fée in midfield, Nmecha spotted Sunderland goalkeeper Melker Ellborg off his line and curled a stunning 35-yard effort into the bottom corner. It proved to be the only goal of the game, bouncing Leeds back after their opening 3-2 defeat to Wrexham in Tampa.
Muharemovic Steals the Show
New signing Tarik Muharemovic made an instant impression on his unofficial debut, showing sharp recovery pace to snuff out a dangerous ball in behind and playing confidently through the lines. It’s an encouraging early sign for a player brought in for £34 million to replace Pascal Struijk in defense.
Harry Wilson also got his first start in a Leeds shirt after coming off the bench against Wrexham, continuing his early integration following his free transfer from Fulham.
The Attack Still Needs Work
Not everything was rosy. Post-match analysis from the Yorkshire Evening Post noted that beyond Nmecha’s goal, Leeds’ attack looked fairly blunt Daniel James squandered good chances, and neither Joël Piroe nor Willy Gnonto had much impact going forward. With Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Noah Okafor both missing through injury and World Cup commitments respectively, the display was a reminder that Leeds remain short of firepower beyond their likely starting front three.
The Goalkeeper Situation
James Trafford’s move from Manchester City continues to edge closer, with reports describing it as a £40 million deal now in its final stages, though it wasn’t finalized in time for him to feature. In the meantime, veteran Alex Cairns deputized in goal and was called into action late on, making a smart save to preserve the clean sheet with Lucas Perri left out entirely as his move to Torino continues to progress.
Bottom line: A much-needed first win, a promising debut from Muharemovic, and continued momentum on the Trafford deal but the attacking questions that dogged Leeds after losing Calvert-Lewin’s backup options remain unresolved heading into the final weeks before the Premier League returns.
