Leeds United secured a dramatic FA Cup quarter-final victory over West Ham United on penalties, but the match was preceded by a bizarre row over where the shoot-out would take place.
Leeds boss Daniel Farke arrived at the London Stadium to be informed that, if the tie went to penalties, the shoot-out must not be held in front of the away end. The decision was reportedly made on safety grounds in consultation with police and the local safety advisory group.
The game itself was a wild affair. Leeds took a 2-0 lead thanks to a penalty from Dominic Calvert-Lewin after Max Kilman fouled Brenden Aaronson. However, West Ham scored twice in 11 minutes of added time to force extra time. The match eventually ended in a penalty shoot-out, with the referee flipping a coin to decide which end the spot kicks would be taken.
Despite the pre-match controversy, Leeds emerged victorious from the shoot-out, booking their place in the semi-finals. The win adds to their earlier penalty shoot-out success this season at Birmingham City.
West Ham had previously won a shoot-out in front of the away end against Brentford, but this time the safety concerns dictated otherwise. The FA allows safety officers to decide the end if there is a deemed risk.
