West Ham United 2-2 Leeds United: Leeds Win 4-2 on Penalties After Pulsating FA Cup Quarter Final

Match Details

• Competition: Emirates FA Cup Quarter Final
• Date: Sunday 6th April 2026
• Venue: London Stadium, London
• Final Score: West Ham United 2 - 2 Leeds United (Leeds United won 4-2 on penalties)
• Referee: Craig Pawson (4th Official: Peter Bankes, VAR: Constantine Hatzidakis)

Match Stats & Key Metrics

	West Ham United	Leeds United
Score	2	2
Half Time	0	1
Full Time (90+11)	2	2
Extra Time	2	2
Penalties	2	4
Goalscorers	Fernandes 90+3', Disasi 90+7'	Tanaka 26', Calvert-Lewin 75' (pen)
Formation	4-3-3	3-4-1-2
Yellow Cards	Kilman 73'	Nmecha 40', Ampadu 47'
Red Cards	-	-
Substitutions	Pablo 46' (Magassa), Soucek 46' (Potts), Scarles 106' (Diouf), Kante 106' (Castellanos), Herrick 119' (Areola), Mayers 124' (Adama)	Aaronson 38' (Stach), Bornauw 52' (Rodon), Gnonto 69' (Okafor), Calvert-Lewin 69' (Nmecha), Gruev 69' (Tanaka), Piroe 106' (Bogle)

The Story of the Match

LEEDS UNITED and West Ham United drew after 90 minutes and 11 minutes of added time in the final Emirates FA Cup Quarter Final tie this afternoon 2-2 thanks to goals by Japanese international Ao Tanaka with a left-footed shot from an assist by Noah Okafor in the 26th minute and a Dominic Calvert-Lewin penalty converted in the 75th minute after Max Kilman had fouled Brendan Aaronson which was given after a VAR check. At 90 minutes Leeds United were 2-0 up but were pegged back to 2-2 with two West Ham United goals pulled back in added time.

First in the 90th+3 minute after a Jarrod Bowen left footed shot had hit the post and bounced back into the path of Mateus Fernandes who slotted the ball home to make it 1-2. Then the unexpected happened as West Ham United came back from 0-2 down to 2-2 as Axel Disasi saw a right footed shot from close range go in to make it 2-2 from an assist by Adama Traore as the West Ham United fans that had not left early at 0-2 down and were still in the ground went absolutely mad. The game ended 2-2 and went to extra time, still remained 2-2 after 137 minutes of football and the pulsating match went to penalty kicks which Leeds United won 4-2.

West Ham United have had three matches in the FA Cup this season go to extra time - Burton Albion, Brentford and now Leeds United. Leeds United held on to seal the victory 4-2 on penalties with the decisive spot kick hammered home by Pascal Struijk and Leeds United became the final team in the FA Cup Semi-Final draw alongside Manchester City, Chelsea and Southampton.

West Ham United and Leeds United have faced three times previously in the FA Cup competition. Leeds United won the first in 1923-24 after a replay, but West Ham United had since won the last two in 1929-30 and 2021-22. Leeds United had lost three of their last four away games at West Ham United in all competitions (won only once), this after only losing two of their previous 18 beforehand (won ten, drawn six). Leeds United have been eliminated from 16 of their last 18 FA Cup ties against Premier League opposition, including each of their last seven in a row since a 2-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur in the 2012-13 4th round.

West Ham United came into the match off the back of one win against Fulham (away) 1-0, two draws against Manchester City (home) 1-1 and Brentford (home) 2-2 and two defeats against Liverpool (away) 2-5 and Aston Villa (away) 0-2 last time out. Meanwhile, Leeds United came into the match in similar form with one win against Norwich City (home) FA Cup 5th Round 3-0, two draws against Brentford (home) 0-0 last time out and Crystal Palace (away) 0-0 and two defeats against Sunderland (home) 0-1 and Manchester City (home) 0-1.

Leeds United were looking to reach their first FA Cup semi-final for the first time since the 1986-87 season. Leeds United have been eliminated from three quarter-finals since in 1995-96 v Liverpool, 1997-98 v Wolverhampton Wanderers, and 2002-03 v Sheffield United. Meanwhile, West Ham United have been eliminated from eight of their last 10 FA Cup quarter-final ties, with this their first since losing in a replay against Manchester United in 2015-16.

West Ham United manager Nuno Espirito Santo had managed four previous domestic cup quarterfinals in his managerial career, seeing his sides progress every time: the 2013-14 Taca de Portugal with Rio Ave, the 2018-19 FA Cup with Wolverhampton Wanderers, the 2022-23 Saudi King Cup with Al-Ittihad, and the 2024-25 FA Cup with Nottingham Forest. All seven of Leeds United's goals in this season's FA Cup have been scored by different players, with only Man City (ten) and Chelsea (nine) having more different scorers (excluding own goals) in this season's competition. Only in 1964-65 (nine) and 1966-67 (eight) did the Whites have more different goalscorers in a single FA Cup campaign.

West Ham United's Jarrod Bowen has eight goal involvements in his last 11 starts in the FA Cup (seven goals, one assist), while he also has eight goal involvements in his last nine starts against Leeds in all competitions (five goals, three assists), scoring in all three at the London Stadium against the Whites.

West Ham United manager Nuno Espirito Santo started with a 4-3-3 formation with Alphonse Areola in goal then a back four of Kyle Walker-Peters, Axel Disasi, Max Kilman and El Hadji Malik Diouf then a three man midfield of Soungoutou Magassa, Freddie Potts and Mateus Fernandes then three attackers in captain Jarrod Bowen, Taty Castellanos and Adama Traore up front.

Leeds United manager Daniel Farke started with a 3-4-1-2 formation with Lucas Perri in goal, then a back three of Joe Rodon, Jaka Bijol and Pascal Struijk then a four man midfield of Jayden Bogle, captain Ethan Ampadu, Anton Stach and James Justin then Ao Tanaka with two up front in Noah Okafor and Lukas Nmecha up top.

West Ham United kicked off the first half attacking the goal behind where the 9,500 Leeds United fans were seated at the massive London Stadium. Leeds United wearing a changed strip of all blue, started well and settled into the game early with Noah Okafor seeing an early right footed curling shot from just inside the West Ham United penalty area pushed away by Alphonse Areola for a corner in the third minute.

West Ham United then came forward down the left flank and a cross into the penalty area by Jarrod Bowen was intercepted by Pascal Struijk and almost caught Lucas Perri napping but he pushed the loose ball away in the 6th minute. In the 13th minute Adama came forward with the ball for West Ham and found Bowen who saw a solid left-footed shot from 10 yards out saved well by Lucas Perri to deny West Ham United an opening goal with a top save.

Leeds United had a free kick 30 yards out from goal taken by Noah Okafor but it was blocked by a West Ham United defender in the 20th minute. Leeds United forced a corner in the 23rd minute taken by Anton Stach to the centre of the six yard box but the cross was punched clear by Alphonse Areola under pressure. James Justin crossed left footed into the West Ham United penalty area but there was nobody to get on the end of it in the 25th minute. Leeds United opened the scoring in the 26th minute after the best move of the match so far through Ao Tanaka the Japanese international with a left-footed shot from inside the penalty area which beat Alphonse Areola off the underside of the cross bar to make it 0-1 from an assist down the left channel by Noah Okafor.

In the 34th minute on a fast counterattack from Leeds United Anton Stach saw a right footed shot from 10 yards out parried by Alphonse Areola to deny the Whites a second goal before the interval. A goal down West Ham tried hard to get back into the game, but Leeds United defended resolutely. Leeds United replaced Anton Stach with Brendan Aaronson in the 38th minute, which was an enforced substitution due to injury.

Jarrod Bowen saw a left footed shot in the 39th minute blocked by a Leeds United defender. Lukas Nmecha was cautioned with a yellow card for a foul in the 40th minute. Leeds United led 1-0 at half time. West Ham United manager Nuno Espirito Santo made a double substitution - Tomas Soucek and Pablo for Soungoutou Magassa and Freddie Potts in the 46th minute.

Leeds United kicked off the second half 1-0 up. Ethan Ampadu was yellow carded in the 47th minute. Leeds United replaced Joe Rodon with Sebastiaan Bornauw in the 52nd minute, due to injury so the back three altered for Daniel Farke's side. A tantalising Adama right footed centre into the Leeds United penalty area in the 56th minute aimed for Pablo was headed clear by Jaka Bijol. In the 60th minute Jarrod Bowen crossed into the Leeds United penalty area where Taty Castellanos fired a right footed shot into the side netting.

West Ham United came on strong in the 61st and 62nd minutes forcing saves out of Perri but Leeds United defensively held firm. Jarrod Bowen saw a right-footed shot blocked inside the Leeds United penalty area in the 68th minute. Leeds United made a triple substitution with Noah Okafor for Wilfried Gnonto, Lukas Nmecha for Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Ao Tanaka for Ilia Gruev in the 69th minute.

Leeds United were awarded a penalty after Max Kilman fouled Brendan Aaronson in the penalty area and was yellow carded and penalty given after VAR decision by referee Craig Pawson. Dominic Calvert-Lewin took the penalty and fired it home to make it 0-2 in the 75th minute. Leeds United went close to a third goal in the 78th minute after a Wilfried Gnonto back flick but his effort went narrowly wide. Gnonto saw a right footed shot blocked by Axel Disasi in the 81st minute. In the 81st minute Sebastiaan Bornauw saw a right-footed thunderous effort tipped over the cross bar by Alphonse Areola as Leeds United pressed for the third to finish West Ham United off. There were 11 minutes of added time at the end of the match.

West Ham United pulled a goal back in the 90th+3 minute after a Jarrod Bowen left footed shot had hit the post and bounced back into the path of Mateus Fernandes who slotted the ball home to make it 1-2. Then the unexpected happened as West Ham United came back from 0-2 down to 2-2 as Axel Disasi saw a right footed shot from close range go in to make it 2-2 from an assist by Adama Traore as the West Ham United fans that were still in the ground went absolutely mad. The game ended 2-2 and went to extra time.

Extra Time

West Ham United kicked off the first half of extra time. West Ham United went 3-2 up in the 90+1 minute as Taty Castellanos scored with a left footed shot but was adjudged to be offside after VAR. Leeds United then came forward through James Justin but the shot from Brendan Aaronson went wide of the target.

Jarrod Bowen in the 101st minute saw a left footed shot hit the post and the ball bounced out to Taty Castellanos who put the ball into the net but was again adjudged to be in an offside position after a VAR check.

Half Time Extra Time West Ham United 2 Leeds United 2 (2 minutes added time)

Leeds United kicked off the second half of extra time. Leeds United replaced Jayden Bogle with Joel Piroe in the 106th minute. West Ham United replaced Taty Castellanos with Mahamadou Kante and El Hadji Malik Diouf with Ollie Scarles in the 106th minute.

Mahamadou Kante got through on goal in the 110th minute but fired his left-footed shot high and wide of the target. West Ham United were forced into replacing Alphonse Areola with rookie goalkeeper Finlay Herrick in the 119th minute due to injury. There were five additional minutes. West Ham United replaced Adama Traore with Ezra Mayers in the 124th minute. The game ended 2-2 and went to penalty kicks.

Full Time Extra Time West Ham United 2 Leeds United 2 (5 minutes added time)

Penalties

	Leeds United		West Ham United
1	Piroe	Saved	Bowen	Saved
2	Calvert-Lewin	Scored	Walker-Peters	Scored
3	Aaronson	Scored	Soucek	Scored
4	Gnonto	Scored	Pablo	Missed
5	Struijk	Scored
Result	4		2

Leeds United won 4-2 on penalties

Leeds United reached the FA Cup Semi-Final where they will play Chelsea, the other match being between Manchester City and Southampton, both at Wembley Stadium on 25th/26th April. West Ham United now host Wolverhampton Wanderers next Friday in a very important Premier League match at the London Stadium in their bid to survive in the Premier League.

Half Time West Ham United 0 Leeds United 1 (4 minutes added time)

Full Time West Ham United 2 Leeds United 2 (11 minutes added time)

Timeline of Key Events

• 3' - Save (Leeds United) - Okafor's right footed curling shot from inside the area pushed away by Areola for a corner.
• 6' - Chance (West Ham) - Bowen's cross intercepted by Struijk, Perri pushes loose ball away.
• 13' - Save (West Ham) - Bowen's left-footed shot from 10 yards saved well by Perri.
• 20' - Free Kick (Leeds United) - Okafor's effort from 30 yards blocked by a West Ham defender.
• 23' - Corner (Leeds United) - Stach's delivery punched clear by Areola.
• 26' - Goal (Leeds United) - Tanaka fires left footed off the underside of the bar from an Okafor assist. 0-1.
• 34' - Save (Leeds United) - Stach's right footed shot from 10 yards parried by Areola.
• 38' - Substitution (Leeds United) - Aaronson replaces Stach (injury).
• 39' - Chance (West Ham) - Bowen's left footed shot blocked.
• 40' - Yellow Card (Leeds United) - Nmecha booked.
• HT - West Ham United 0-1 Leeds United (4 minutes added time).
• 46' - Substitutions (West Ham) - Soucek and Pablo replace Magassa and Potts.
• 47' - Yellow Card (Leeds United) - Ampadu booked.
• 52' - Substitution (Leeds United) - Bornauw replaces Rodon (injury).
• 56' - Chance (West Ham) - Adama's cross aimed for Pablo headed clear by Bijol.
• 60' - Chance (West Ham) - Castellanos fires right footed into the side netting from a Bowen cross.
• 68' - Chance (West Ham) - Bowen's right-footed shot blocked in the Leeds area.
• 69' - Substitutions (Leeds United) - Gnonto, Calvert-Lewin and Gruev replace Okafor, Nmecha and Tanaka.
• 73' - Yellow Card (West Ham) - Kilman booked for fouling Aaronson in the area. Penalty awarded after VAR check.
• 75' - Goal (Leeds United) - Calvert-Lewin fires home the penalty. 0-2.
• 78' - Chance (Leeds United) - Gnonto's back flick goes narrowly wide.
• 81' - Chances (Leeds United) - Gnonto shot blocked by Disasi; Bornauw's thunderous effort tipped over by Areola.
• 90+3' - Goal (West Ham) - Bowen hits the post, Fernandes slots home the rebound. 1-2.
• 90+7' - Goal (West Ham) - Disasi fires home from close range from an Adama assist. 2-2.
• ET 91' - Disallowed Goal (West Ham) - Castellanos scores but ruled offside by VAR.
• ET 101' - Disallowed Goal (West Ham) - Castellanos scores again but ruled offside by VAR.
• ET HT - West Ham United 2-2 Leeds United (2 minutes added time).
• ET 106' - Substitutions - Leeds: Piroe replaces Bogle. West Ham: Kante replaces Castellanos, Scarles replaces Diouf.
• ET 110' - Chance (West Ham) - Kante through on goal but fires high and wide.
• ET 119' - Substitution (West Ham) - Herrick replaces Areola (injury).
• ET 124' - Substitution (West Ham) - Mayers replaces Adama.
• ET FT - West Ham United 2-2 Leeds United (5 minutes added time).
• Penalties - Leeds United win 4-2. Struijk scores the decisive kick.

Author's Standout Players

• Ao Tanaka (Leeds United) - The Japanese international opened the scoring with a superb left-footed strike off the underside of the bar in the 26th minute. Controlled the tempo of the match before being replaced in the triple substitution on 69 minutes.
• Jarrod Bowen (West Ham) - The West Ham captain was a constant threat throughout, hitting the post in added time which led to Fernandes' goal. Had eight goal involvements in his last nine starts against Leeds coming into the match and continued to torment the Whites.
• Pascal Struijk (Leeds United) - The defender was rock solid at the back throughout the match and then stepped up to hammer home the decisive penalty to send Leeds into the semi-finals.
• Alphonse Areola (West Ham) - Made several important saves to keep West Ham in the game, notably denying Stach and Bornauw. Unfortunately forced off injured in extra time.
• Mateus Fernandes (West Ham) - Sparked the incredible comeback with his close range finish in the 90+3 minute after Bowen's shot had come back off the post. Showed composure in a high-pressure moment.
• Axel Disasi (West Ham) - Scored the dramatic equaliser in the 90+7 minute to force extra time. A moment of sheer determination from the French defender.