Leeds Utd 4 (Stach 1,Muharemović 19, Justin 28, Nmecha 82)
FC Augsburg 0
15th August 2026. Preseason Friendly.
21,894.
This is my first match review of the new season – I didn’t want to write anything until I saw what I consider the likely regular starting XI all on the pitch at the same time, and I guessed this would be the game. Until now, it’s been a good preseason, one that has clearly gained momentum and improved in quality game by game, but it's been difficult to assess, as we’ve hardly ever seen our likely best defence playing alongside our likely best midfield and attack. I think we saw it for the first time for an hour today.
With the exception of Gabby Gudmundsson, I think we’d all accept this line-up as our best current XI, although knowing that we have some other quality players waiting in the wings – literally – should we need to change our formation during a game or when injuries require. Sean Longstaff has been good throughout pre-season; Willy G and Dan James have had their moments, as has James Justin, while Noah Okafor we know will be vying for a place once he’s back up to speed after his late return, and Ao Tanaka can do a job, as can Ilia Gruev once he’s fit again. Lukas Nmecha showed again today that he’s sharp and ready if the need arises. There are still possible leavers and joiners to factor in too; is Seb Bornauw staying? I do hope so, but we seem to have irons in the fire ready to pull out if not. And for me, young Alfie Cresswell looks ready for some cup action too, if perhaps he’s unlikely to see match time in the Prem barring a wholesale loss of centre backs.
I came away from the game today well satisfied and quietly confident that we look equipped to do what we all want; improve on last season and to get a good start to ensure we don’t have to keep looking over our shoulder at the relegation zone all season. The only surprise for me was how low-key Daniel Farke was about the performance – basically saying we can play better! I guess that’s good news, but for me today was pretty damn good against what we assume to be, like Leipzig last week, a decent mid-table Bundesliga outfit. There is normally a player or two who you could point out as being below par in any good performance, but I’d struggle to point one out today! I thought everyone was on it from the start, and everyone did their job well. Maybe Daniel is just keeping our feet on the ground!
We scored some good goals today too, with sharp reactions. None more so than the acrobatic overhead kick from Tarik the Tank, who continues to impress more with every game we see. He’s a sort of modern-day Paul Madeley – a real Rolls-Royce of a defender, but I didn’t expect the acrobatics from such a big bloke! Great finish.
The opening goal was a terrific team goal too, started by another long clearance by James Trafford, who is quite capable of the no-nonsense launch upfield just as much as the tappy toes stuff he also looks comfortable doing. This was similar to the goal we scored against them from over the hills the other day. Big clearance, this time to DCL who won the ball and shifted it to Harry Wilson who will always be there looking for such second balls. Wilson unselfishly found Aaronson, and in turn he found Anton Stach and his left foot did the rest. Less than a minute on the clock! Be nice to repeat that at the City Ground!
DCL almost bagged a trademark header ten minutes later, but the keeper somehow kept that one out after another pitch-long move from Leeds.
The second goal came from another Ethan Ampadu long throw – I wonder if our Premier League opposition will have that sussed this season? Augsburg didn’t! They somehow missed it, as it was allowed to bounce in the six-yard box, flick up off DCL, and there was Tarik (I refuse to type and check his surname every time!) to perform the acrobatics.
Leeds were playing some really terrific football in that first half, and none more so than that leading to the third goal. Justin, Stach, and Ampadu were all involved following a throw on the Leeds left. Justin fails to get the cross over but gets the ball back. Touches it to Tarik, taking his turn to supplement the attack; he plays in Ampadu, who finds Justin again, and Justin prods it to DCL, who holds it up superbly before laying it off to Justin again, now through on goal, and he finished like a top striker! It was champagne football from Leeds.
I will say at this point that there is an unknown factor here: we do not know how good or bad this Augsburg side will be this season. We know they were a mid-table German side last campaign, but we simply cannot know. My guess is they are not mid-table Premier League quality, so for that comparison we just have to rely on the fact that for 45 minutes against Liverpool a not quite complete Leeds XI outplayed them, and similarly in the second 45 against Man U we also were the better side; that’s all we can really say.
There were fewer moments of brilliance from Leeds after the break, even before various changes were made, as no doubt Daniel Farke began to think about conserving his best for Forest. But we did see more marauding down the right from our new super-winger… Joe Rodon almost setting up DCL for another trademark poacher’s goal. And Harry Wilson’s range of passing is gradually showing itself more and more as he gets more time with his new teammates.
The changes brought Lukas Nmecha, Ao Tanaka, Dan James, Sean Longstaff, Joel Piroe and Noah Okafor on, and my quick assessment was that Lukas, Ao, Longstaff and Noah looked Sharp and effective; Piroe and Dan James less so. Longstaff and Ao both played a significant part in the fourth goal, beautifully finished with a deft clip over the keeper by Lukas Nmecha, which sort of confirmed my thinking.
So, there we have it. Preseason done and dusted, and as I said above, it’s progressed nicely since that show of poor defending against Wrexham, a stodgy affair with Sunderland and a dire first half against Liverpool. Since then, as we’ve seen more of today’s XI come into the side together, we’ve looked pretty good most of the time.
The real test comes next Saturday, of course, but I do feel that if we play as we did today against Forest then we ought to come away from their patch with some spoils. If we can play as well as Farke clearly believes we can, then we should bag them all
