Joel Piroe double guides Leeds to impressive victory at Stoke

Joel Piroe bagged a brace as Leeds moved to the top of the Championship with a 2-0 win away at struggling Stoke.

The Whites’ leading marksman struck either side of half-time to move his team above Sheffield United, who were beaten by fellow promotion chasers Burnley earlier in the day, at the summit of the table on goal difference.

The win was Leeds’ seventh in their last nine games overall, but just their second in their last eight away matches.

As for Stoke, they remain in 19th place – three points outside the relegation zone – having now gone nine games without victory.

The hosts created the first opening of the night early on, with Lewis Koumas denied from close range by visiting goalkeeper Illan Meslier after Junior Tchamadeu had pulled the ball back to him.

Down at the other end shortly afterwards, Dan James’ cross from the right-hand side was superbly diverted wide of the post by Potters defender Ben Wilmot to almost certainly prevent Manor Solomon from getting on the end of it.

Leeds took complete control of the match from then on, with Brenden Aaronson and Jayden Bogle both forcing good saves out of Viktor Johansson from distance.

The away side should have gone in front just after the half-hour mark when James broke free down the right and picked out an unmarked Solomon at the back post, but the Israeli international put the ball wide with his left foot.

It came as no surprise when Leeds did finally take the lead in the 42nd minute as Piroe fired home a thunderous shot off the underside of the bar having initially been thwarted in his attempt to round Johansson in the Stoke goal.

The visitors’ domination continued into the second half and Piroe probably should have doubled his and his team’s advantage with 52 minutes on the clock, only to head wide from Joe Rothwell’s corner when unmarked.

Stoke didn’t show any lack of endeavour though, and they nearly sneaked an equaliser just before the hour mark as substitute Eric Bocat’s cross from the left was headed just wide by Ashley Phillips.

It proved to be a costly miss with Piroe soon nodding in James’ hooked delivery to all but end the match as a contest and increase his goal tally for the season to nine.

Leeds had a flurry of opportunities to add a third goal, with Solomon and substitute Mateo Joseph both bending efforts from outside the box narrowly wide and Aaronson calling Johansson into action again to tip a shot over the crossbar.

The resulting corner led to another missed chance for Joseph, but it didn’t matter as Daniel Farke’s side made a big move in their push for promotion.