Comebacks are in vogue of late and Frank Lampard’s Derby County produced a stunner of their own to keep alive their Premier League dream.
Trailing 2-0 on aggregate as the interval approached and, with a partisan Elland Road bouncing, Lampard’s side looked to be nearing the end of their season, while Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds were heading for Wembley.
But come the end it was Lampard thinking about promotion in his first season in management after Jack Marriott’s late winner stunned the locals. For Leeds, their absence from the Premier League will enter a 16th year.
Leeds took the lead through Stuart Dallas, who tapped the ball into an empty net after a free-kick clipped the post
The winger peeled away in jubilation and dived on the floor to celebrate after giving the home side the lead at Elland Road
Leeds defender Liam Cooper and goalkeeper Kiko Casilla get in a terrible mix-up as they both tried to deal with the danger
Jack Marriot pounced on the error to slot the ball into an empty net with his first touch since coming off from the bench
Mason Mount puts his fingers to his lips to silence the home supporters after scoring Derby's second goal
Harry Wilson kept his cool to dispatch a spot kick and put Derby in front on aggregate for the first time in the tie
Leeds roared back and levelled the scores on aggregate after Dallas' mazy run and superb finish into the corner
The home side were reduced to 10 men with just 12 minutes remaining after Gaetano Berardi saw red for two yellow cards
Derby striker Marriott produced a cool chipped finish late on to secure victory and book Derby's place in the play-off final
Derby manager Frank Lampard and his staff celebrate wildly on the touchline after Marriott's late strike
Leeds (4-1-2-2-1): Casilla, Dallas, Cooper, Berardi, Ayling, Phillips, Klich, Shackleton, Harrison, Hernandez, Bamford;
Subs not used: Peacock-Farrell, Jansson, Brown, Clarke, Struijk, Gotts, Bogusz
Scorers: Dallas (23, 62)
Booked: Hernandez, Phillips, Bamford, Cooper, Berardi
Sent off: Berardi (78)
Manager: Marcelo Bielsa
Derby (4-2-3-1): Roos, Malone, Tomori, Keogh, Bogle, Holmes, Johnson, Lawrence, Mount, Wilson, Bennett (Huddlestone 59);
Subs not used: Carson, Jozefzoon, Marriot, Evans, Cole, Knight
Scorers: Marriot (44, 85), Mount (46), Wilson (58)
Booked: Tomori, Malone, Lawrence, Mount
Sent off: Malone (90)
Manager: Frank Lampard
Referee: Anthony Taylor
It was Marriott who got the comeback going with a goal just before the break and, come the hour, Derby were leading 3-2 on aggregate after a strike from Mason Mount and a Harry Wilson penalty.
Leeds levelled through Stuart Dallas - his second of the night - and we looked set for extra-time until Marriott’s lovely clipped finish five minutes from time.
The first half had been as fiery as you would hope, six yellow cards just one shy of the total from Saturday’s first leg. Not that we needed a reminder, but there is no love lost between these two.
The sight of 36,000 Leeds scarves being whipped in a frenzy in the seconds before kick off - the club had placed one on each seat - served to intensify an already heightened atmosphere. It was some sight.
Given the stakes, it was a bold call from Bielsa to include teenager Jamie Shackleton from the off, the midfielder making his first start since January and just his seventh at senior level.
But perhaps the more significant news
: Jack Marriott strikes late as Frank Lampard's men ...){kind=link}