Leeds United beat Nottingham Forest 2-0 in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday, securing their second victory at the City Ground in just three days. Dan James and James Justin scored the goals that booked a place in the third round.
This cup progress adds momentum to a solid start for Leeds, who sit eighth in the Premier League with four points from two games. Their recent form reads DW, with two goals scored and only one conceded so far this season. They are just two points behind leaders Manchester City in the early title race.
Leeds controlled the tie from the outset. James Trafford was forced into a save for Forest in the 10th minute, but the visitors soon took charge. James Justin made a vital block to deny Igor Jesus' header, and Dan James began to threaten down the right flank. His early pull-back just evaded Sean Longstaff, who later shot straight at Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels.
Joe Rodon produced a last-ditch tackle to stop Chris Wood, and Sels kept out a low effort from James. The breakthrough came when Ola Aina's defensive header fell perfectly for Dan James, who finished clinically. Forest responded, with Arnaud Kalimuendo setting up Wood, but Trafford pushed his effort wide of the bottom corner.
Leeds put the result beyond doubt in the second half. After Noah Okafor sent an effort wide, substitute Lucas Nmecha saw his shot blocked on the line by Neco Williams. The rebound fell to James Justin, who slammed the ball into the net to double the lead and secure the win.
The match concluded with an unusual interruption as a topless Forest fan ran the length of the pitch. The final whistle confirmed Leeds's first win at this ground since 1972 before this weekend, and now they have two in three days.
This victory follows a Premier League win over the same opponent on Saturday, giving Leeds a perfect record against Forest this week. Oliver Glasner, Forest's new manager, is still looking for his team to click, especially after the club agreed a £45 million deal for Chelsea striker Liam Delap.
For Leeds, the win provides a confidence boost and valuable game time for the squad ahead of a busy period. The team's defensive solidity, conceding just once in competitive matches, is a positive foundation. Current player statistics are available on our stats page.
Attention now turns back to the Premier League. Leeds United's next fixture is an away trip to face Brighton on September 5th. Brighton currently sit ninth in the table, one place below Leeds, setting up a closely contested match. The full schedule is listed on our fixtures page.
