Dominic Calvert-Lewin squandered a first-half penalty as Leeds missed the opportunity to claim victory at Crystal Palace, though they ultimately earned a valuable point after playing the entire second half with 10 men.
The match had been uneventful until just before the break when Palace captain Will Hughes handled the ball following a Leeds corner. Calvert-Lewin stepped up but dragged his penalty wide of the left post, wasting the chance to give his side the lead.
Leeds’ situation worsened moments later when left wing-back Gabriel Gudmundsson received a second yellow card for a foul on Ismaila Sarr in the centre circle. After a brief delay, referee Tom Bramall sent him off.
The dismissal came shortly after Palace argued that Leeds defender Jaka Bijol should also have been shown a second yellow following an earlier clash with Sarr. The incident sparked a heated moment on the touchline, with both head coaches Oliver Glasner and Daniel Farke receiving bookings.
Despite their numerical advantage, Palace struggled to break down Leeds’ defense. Striker Jean-Philippe Mateta was introduced, making his first league appearance since a proposed move to AC Milan collapsed before the transfer deadline. As in Thursday’s game against AEK Larnaca, he was booed by some home supporters.
Mateta nearly broke the deadlock in the 66th minute when he redirected a cross toward goal, forcing Leeds goalkeeper Karl Darlow to push the ball away.
Palace thought they had found the winner with 12 minutes remaining when Jefferson Lerma bundled the ball into the net from close range. However, the goal was ruled out because Brennan Johnson was judged offside during the short-corner buildup.
The draw leaves Leeds three points above the relegation zone, while Palace remain in 14th place, seven points ahead of them.
