Mirco Antenucci fires 25-year equaliser as Leeds draw 1-1 with Brentford
Half-time substitute Mirco Antenucci saved Leeds' unbeaten start to the season with a fine equaliser as Brentford were pegged back for a 1-1 draw at Elland Road.
Italian striker Antenucci was sent on at the break as a reaction to a woeful first half from United which saw Marco Djuricin deservedly put Brentford ahead.
But ex-Bees boss Uwe Rosler's decision to send Antenucci on paid dividends and got the home side a point their second-half show deserved, although their first was one to instantly forget as Brentford impressed.
By the time the opening goal came, Leeds had ignored enough warning signs to be considered unfortunate to be behind.
Just two minutes were on the clock when Gaetano Berardi had to punt Konstantin Kerschbaumer's effort off the line, while with 21 gone, Liam Cooper had to produce a brilliant covering tackle to deny Djuricin after Sol Bamba's slack backpass allowed him in.
Bamba was undone again for the goal. Too slow to handle Alan Judge, he was recovering as Judge ran towards the box and slid in Djuricin, who coolly did the rest.
Brentford's domination continued into the early exchanges of the second half and captain Jake Bidwell should have doubled their lead 52 minutes in.
Judge was again involved, this time standing up a cross to the back post, and Bidwell somehow managed to divert a header away from the target.
It took Leeds until close to the hour-mark to stir, Sam Byram shooting over after good work from Lewis Cook, but that was just a pre-cursor to another Brentford chance.
More sloppiness from Leeds, this time from keeper Marco Silvestri, saw Djuricin get another opening in the box but this time he could only strike the outside of the post.
Leeds then went and hit a post - Chris Wood's deflected shot bouncing back out - and 76 minutes in they were level. Ex-Brentford man Stuart Dallas won the ball in the middle, fed Wood and he passed on to half-time sub Antenucci. From there it was all about the Italian who cut in and curled a brilliant 25-yarder beyond David Button.
Antenucci had a half-chance to win it in injury time too, breaking clear but lacking pace and taking on an early shot which Button held, but he earned his side a point they could comfortably lay a claim to.
Source: PA
