Yahoo News What Ilia Gruev did before Leeds United goal vs Norwich as Daniel Farke secret weapon revealed
Ilia Gruev has claimed the credit for the idea behind Leeds United's opening goal against Norwich on Thursday night. His genius free-kick caught Angus Gunn and the Norwich defence off guard, laying the foundations for a brilliant night at Elland Road.
Having not scored for the club since his summer move from Werder Bremen, Gruev picked the perfect time to open his account, bending in a left-footed strike from distance after the Canaries' team set up to defend a cross. It was the first of four goals in Yorkshire that helped Daniel Farke's men book their place in the Championship play-off final.
Joel Piroe netted shortly afterwards in the first half before Georginio Rutter scored his eighth goal of the season before the break to all but secure a trip to Wembley. Crysencio Summerville added another to put gloss on an enormous win for Leeds.
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Despite it appearing like Gruev had been tipped off over how to catch Norwich unaware - he spoke to Summerville just before taking the free-kick, with the 22-year-old moving away from the ball and making a run to the side of the two-man wall to create a gap for a shot - the Bulgarian suggested that it was his moment of quick-thinking, not his teammate's.
"Yeah it was early in the game and I knew that the goalkeeper was speculating and I thought 'let's try to have a shot'," he said after the match. "And yeah, it went in and it was amazing. My first goal for Leeds."
When asked if he had been urged to go for goal by the bench following a brief communication with those in the dugout, Gruev explained, "Not really, I look at our assistant coach Eddie [Riermer] and I ask him if it was an outswinger or an inswinger, but then I saw him [the goalkeeper] and tried [to score]."
Farke himself landed praise with Gruev and Riemer. "We always analyse the opponents and credit goes to our lads and analysing team, especially my assistant coach who is responsible for this.
"You can't plan it in this way so credit to Ilia, such an important game it's so important from a tactics point of view and a decisive point in the game."
Attention now turns to the final for Leeds. They will face either Southampton or West Brom a week on Sunday for the chance to go straight back up to the Premier League.
Like with Leeds and Norwich, the first leg at the Hawthorns in the other semi-final finished 0-0. It means Leeds will have an extra day of rest before the game.
