Brenden Aaronson and Daniel James scored the goals as Leeds secured their first win of the season by beating Yorkshire rivals Sheffield Wednesday 2-0 at Hillsborough.
Aaronson’s second goal of the campaign gave Leeds an interval lead and James raced clear to add a superb second soon after the restart.
Wednesday went close through Di’Shon Bernard’s second-half header but Leeds created several other chances and ran out worthy winners to kick-start their promotion challenge.
A morale-boosting victory was roundly celebrated by Leeds boss Daniel Farke and the travelling fans, who are desperate for their club to bring in reinforcements in the final week of the transfer window after some key departures.
Pascal Struijk headed Daniel James’ cross wide but neither side had had a shot on target until Leeds produced the best move of the first half to take a 24th-minute lead.
James and Aaronson combined brilliantly down the left to spring Gnonto clear down the middle and, after Mateo Joseph was foiled in the box, Aaronson kept his composure to guide home a classy left-footed finish.
The USA midfielder then curled a free-kick just wide as Leeds began to take control.
Wednesday tried to respond and Svante Ingelsson’s fierce drive was blocked but the home side were hemmed in as Leeds probed for another opening.
Joseph just failed to connect with Junior Firpo’s left-wing cross before the home fans were lifted by another counter from their main threat Anthony Musaba but Leeds’ defence snuffed out the danger.
Leeds doubled their lead three minutes after the restart with another moment of quality. Joseph’s raking pass from halfway dissected Wednesday’s defence and James raced clear to dink a delicate finish over the diving James Beadle.
Wednesday rallied but had only Jamal Lowe’s wayward low effort to show for a spell of pressure before Bernard’s fierce header from Ingelsson’s long throw-in flew narrowly wide.
Joseph went close to making it 3-0 in the 68th minute when he lashed over the crossbar from inside the box and the striker forced Beadle into a low save soon after.
Beadle kept his side in the game with another key save from James’ angled effort, while Barry Bannan’s long-range effort at the other end curled wide.
Wednesday substitute Ike Ugbo’s low shot was gathered by Illan Meslier as the Owls slipped to back-to-back defeats after their opening-day win against Plymouth.
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