Daniel Farke admitted Leeds were “heartbroken” after throwing away victory in their 2-2 Championship draw at home to Swansea – but admitted he was still confident of reaching the Premier League.
Swansea substitute Zan Vipotnik scored a dramatic equaliser in the sixth minute of second-half stoppage-time to deny Farke’s men a return to the Championship summit.
The Slovenia international’s strike left Elland Road stunned, and Farke said: “It’s a heartbreaking moment if you concede in this manner but it’s football.
“If you want to take part in sport, you can’t expect the sun to always be shining.
“We’ve had great winners in the last minute and the opponent had to suffer the disappointment we had today – Sunderland and Sheffield United felt exactly the disappointment we do.
“You have to suffer a little bit, that’s normal, but then we go again.”
With seven games remaining, Leeds are two points adrift of leaders Sheffield United but ahead of third-placed Burnley on points difference.
Automatic promotion is still in Leeds’ hands and Farke added: “We are still in the situation that if we win our last games, we will finish in the top two.
“That’s due to the fact they (Sheffield United and Burnley) still have to play each other but there’s never a guarantee of success.
“Right now it’s the final step which is always the most difficult.
“I was in this situation before and I know how tricky it is but I know how difficult it is to bring it over the line.
“If you ask me right now, I’m 100 per cent convinced we will play in the Premier League next season.”
Farke was also forced to defend Illan Meslier after the Leeds goalkeeper made an awful error in gifting Swansea their first equaliser.
United States midfielder Brenden Aaronson put Leeds ahead from close range inside just 35 seconds before Meslier saved a 13th-minute penalty from Josh Tymon.
But after Meslier dropped the ball from Tymon’s corner in the 64th minute, Swansea’s Harry Darling was on hand to fire home and make it 1-1.
Willy Gnonto struck a fiercely-struck shot which flew into the net to put Leeds 2-1 ahead but the visitors kept probing and were rewarded late on when Vipotnik latched onto Joe Allen’s pass and fired low past Meslier at the death.
Farke said of his French goalkeeper: “I’m far away from punishing a player because we win together, lose together and draw together.
“After such a game and such a heartbreaking finish, they don’t need a manager who puts the result on the shoulder of players.”
Caretaker Swansea boss Alan Sheehan believed his side were worth a share of the spoils, saying: “A point is the least we deserved – we were tactically excellent.
“We had a nightmare start and went 1-0 down but we kept going and it was a high-quality pass for the equaliser late on.
“Leeds are one of the best teams in the league – if not the best – and it’s the toughest ground to go to.
“But Joe Allen played that pass into Vipotnik and it was wonderful to see the two substitutes combine.
“To come here and get a point shows the belief and the togetherness that we have right now.”
