18 July 2007 :: by
Simba
Dennis Wise's makeshift squad slipped to a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Union Berlin in the first match of their three game pre-season tour of Germany.
The match was played in front of a packed stadium with the kick-off having to be delayed because of the numbers turning up - at least the Berliners remember who Leeds United are!
Marco Gerhardt beat Loach in the Leeds goal in the 40th minute although Leeds did have their chances, with Beckford, Lewis and Thompson all going close.
Leeds played better in the second half with Constantine and Beckford having chances before Patchinski doubled Berlin's lead in the 84th minute by scoring past United's German trialist keeper Nick Hamman, who was on for Loach in the second half. Seb Carole went close for United at the death but it was no goals scored and two goals conceded but there was much about the attitude and fitness of the squad and the chances that so many different players created that will give some quiet satisfaction to the manager when he analyses the game.
Of course, he was also without Tore Andre Flo (see story here) of whom much was being expected. Wise and the squad are playing under tremendous off-field pressure at the moment and Leeds fans could expect little more from the players at this stage of preparation.
The official Leeds United website has provided the teams for tonight's friendly in Berlin:
Union Berlin: Glinker, Spasskov, Gebhardt, Stuff, Younga-Mouhani, Martins, Spork, Mattuschka, Schulz, Patschinski, Bemben.
Subs: Niendorf, Ruprecht, Streit, Scharlau, Bonig, Menz, Zschiesche, Vuckovic, Antunovic.
Leeds United: Loach, Richardson, Marques, Heath, Parker, Douglas, Prutton, Thompson, Lewis, Kandol, Beckford.
Subs: Hamman, Delph, Carole, Constantine, Weston, Elliott.
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