Hull City 0-0 Leeds United: Ten-man Whites get a point at Tigers
- Published
- comments
In-form Hull City and 10-man Leeds United both had to settle for a point at a sold-out MKM Stadium.
Goalkeeper Ryan Allsop made three crucial first-half saves on his debut for the Tigers, first foiling Georginio Rutter from a one-on-one and then keeping out two efforts from Crysencio Summerville.
Dan James and Summerville had efforts blocked early in the second half before Leeds centre-back Joe Rodon was sent off on the hour mark for a second bookable offence.
Adama Traore should have won it for Hull with a minute left but his shot clattered the right-hand upright after Aaron Connolly got in behind the away defence and squared the ball for the midfielder.
Hull remain sixth in the table after extending their unbeaten run to six games, while Daniel Farke's Leeds are now five without defeat and are two points off the play-offs in ninth.
The hosts started brightly but Liam Rosenior's Tigers struggled to test Whites keeper Illan Meslier throughout, and Leeds suffered an early set-back when forward Wilfried Gnonto was forced off with an ankle injury in the 21st minute.
Summerville replaced the Italy international and immediately provided an attacking spark, threading a pass through to Rutter which the Frenchman should have converted.
However, Allsop stood tall before denying Rutter with his legs, and the Hull keeper then made a good stop to keep out a Summerville shot at his near post, before palming away a fierce half-volley from the Dutchman at full stretch three minutes before the break.
The game looked to be settling into the same pattern after the break, but the dismissal of Rodon allowed the Tigers to grow into the contest.
Having already been booked for a first-half foul on Jaden Philogene, the Leeds centre-back was given his marching orders by referee Stephen Martin for a late challenge on Connolly inside the Hull half.
Connolly was inches away from getting on the end of a threatening low cross from Liam Delap and then put the ball on a plate for Traore to score the winner.
However, with just Meslier to beat, the Mali international smacked the woodwork with his right-footed effort to the dismay of Rosenior and the home crowd.
Hull head coach Liam Rosenior told BBC Radio Humberside:
"No blame on Adama. We score that chance and everyone goes home happy with a great three points against a very good team.
"He knows he has to score and he is devastated - but I don't want a blame culture at this club.
"We had to be tactically right as first-half Leeds were outstanding. I thought we were the better team in the second half, even before the sending-off.
"The stats say no shots on target but I don't think that tells the full story from the chances we created. We are in a good place, with 12 points from seven games against very, very good teams."
Leeds boss Daniel Farke told BBC Radio Leeds:
"I am a bit divided because we were so dominant after a good start and we created so many good chances when I think about the first half.
"There was Georginio Rutter with a one-on-one and Summerville with top shooting positions and two great saves from the goalkeeper.
"Sadly we conceded the red card and then the opponent gets a bit more confident and you have to sit a bit deeper. After 89 minutes they had a monster chance and normally it is a goal.
"Under these circumstances it is definitely a good point. I am pleased with the clean sheet and the performance [but] we should be a bit more clinical with our chances."