Birmingham City

Leeds United beware – Las Palmas batter Birmingham

If today’s match against Birmingham City is anything to go by then Leeds United are going to have their work cut out against Spanish side UD Las Palmas.

Leeds face the Spanish side, who were relegated from La Liga last season, on Sunday in what will be the Whites’ last warm-up game before their 2018/19 campaign opens against Stoke next Sunday.

However, back to the Birmingham game and Las Palmas’ schooling of what was admittedly a young Birmingham City side, with experience at the back provided by David Stockdale.

Against a full-strength Las Palmas side, who are part-way through their UK tour, the young Blues were simply swept aside. At the end of 90 minutes, the young Birmingham side were trooping off 4-1 losers on the day.

It was an even game in the first half, score-wise, as the sides went in at the half level at 1-1 with Dan Scarr (45′) equalising Las Palmas’ opener from Momo (12′). Whilst the scores might have been level, Las Palmas were the busier side and created the better chances.

The second half was all Las Palmas, the Spanish side putting the young Blues to the sword in a half where they scored three goals. The first, which started to take the game away from Birmingham, was a hit by Erik Exposito (49′) – who made the step up from Las Palmas’ reserve side.

2-1 soon became 3-1 when a low cross into the box fell at the feet of Eduardo Espiau (69′), who has only recently progressed to the Las Palmas reserve side from their third-string. He reacted quickly to stab the ball home.

The coup de grâce on the afternoon came via Rafael Mir, a player on loan at Las Palmas from Birmingham’s rivals Wolves. Mir (73′), who was also courted by Real Madrid, lashed home a thunderous effort from outside the box to bring down the final goal action of the day.

Putting aside the ‘they were playing kids’ and ‘it was only a friendly’ slants, on this performance Leeds United had better be prepared for Las Palmas come Sunday at Elland Road.

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