Leeds beat West Ham on penalties after a dramatic 2-2 draw to reach

Leeds United secured a place in the FA Cup semi-finals after a dramatic penalty shoot-out victory over West Ham United following a 2-2 draw at the London Stadium.

Leeds appeared to be heading comfortably into the next round after building a two-goal lead late in the match. Ao Tanaka opened the scoring with a finish that flew in off the underside of the crossbar, before Dominic Calvert-Lewin doubled the advantage after coming off the bench.

However, the match took a dramatic turn in stoppage time. West Ham mounted a late comeback with goals from Mateus Fernandes and Axel Disasi, forcing the tie into extra time in front of a stunned crowd.

The momentum shifted again as the match progressed into extra time, with both sides creating opportunities but unable to find a decisive goal. West Ham came close, with Jarrod Bowen striking the post, while Taty Castellanos had a goal ruled out for offside.

The game was further complicated by an injury to West Ham goalkeeper Alphonse Areola late on. His departure meant 20-year-old Finlay Herrick was brought on for his debut and immediately thrust into the pressure of a penalty shoot-out.

Herrick made an early impact by saving the first penalty from Joel Piroe, giving West Ham hope. However, Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri produced crucial saves of his own, denying Jarrod Bowen and Pablo during the shoot-out.

Those saves proved decisive as Leeds held their nerve to win the shoot-out 4-2, securing their place in the FA Cup semi-finals for the first time in 39 years.

The result marked a significant moment for Leeds, who showed resilience after seeing their two-goal advantage disappear late in normal time.

Manager Daniel Farke reflected on the performance, acknowledging the difficulty of the match and praising his team’s mentality. He said the side had shown character to come through a challenging quarter-final against Premier League opposition.

Farke added that winning the shoot-out demonstrated the players’ composure under pressure and described the victory as an important step for the club.

For West Ham, the defeat was a bitter outcome after their late fightback had given them a chance to progress. Jarrod Bowen expressed his disappointment following the match, particularly after missing his penalty in the shoot-out.

He said the loss was painful for the team and apologised for his miss, while also recognising that the team must quickly refocus on their upcoming league fixtures.

The match itself was marked by swings in momentum, controversial moments and high drama, including VAR decisions and near misses at both ends of the pitch.

Leeds had earlier doubled their lead after a VAR review awarded a penalty, which Calvert-Lewin converted. At that stage, the visitors appeared in control, but West Ham’s late goals ensured a tense finish.

Disasi’s equaliser, which came from a high boot, was allowed to stand after a VAR check, adding to the drama inside the stadium.

In the end, penalties were required to separate the sides, and Leeds capitalised on their chances while West Ham fell short.

Leeds will now face Chelsea in the semi-finals at Wembley, while West Ham must turn their attention back to the Premier League.