Here's what the national media had to say about Leeds United's explosive win over Cardiff City in the F.A Cup third-round replay last night.
Gnonto the shining light for Leeds
Phil Dawkes wrote for BBC Sport:
"Leeds United don't do home FA Cup ties, at least not in recent years. This was their first since January 2016 and only because they salvaged a late draw in Wales 10 days ago.
"A sell-out crowd was testament to how long these fans have waited for the world's oldest cup competition to return to LS11 and they were treated to something special before many of them had taken their seats.
"When Gnonto joined Leeds, boss Marsch suggested he was "not Premier League ready", but from the moment he stepped onto a pitch in England he has set about proving the American wrong.
"His first goal was something out of the highest of drawers - an audacious and superbly-executed volley in mid-air - similar to that performed by another Italian Paolo di Canio for West Ham against Wimbledon in 2000, albeit from closer range.
"Gnonto's second was a more routine finish, but underlined the brilliant anticipation, movement, speed and maturity of a player that is rapidly making his £4m fee look an absolute steal.
"Sandwiched between the two was another fine goal from Rodrigo, who saw his tag as Leeds' record signing taken away by the capture of Georginio Rutter last week, but now has 12 goals in 20 games this season.
"If Rutter can live up to the hype, a forward line of the 20-year-old Frenchman, the experienced Spaniard and teenage Italian, with Englishman Bamford competing with them, promises much for Leeds in the second half of the season.
"Wednesday's victory was most significant for boss Marsch, who has come under increasing pressure following a run of just two victories in 17 games."
Gnonto's 'sublime' finish should be 'treasured'.
Louise Taylor wrote in the Guardian:
"As the thermometer plunged below freezing point, Jesse Marsch wore the look of a man revelling in the restorative warmth of a long-awaited summer sun. West Yorkshire may be in the midst of a bleak, and bitter, mid-winter but on a night when the outrageously gifted Wilfried Gnonto and a reassuringly sharp Patrick Bamford both scored twice, the Leeds United manager hitherto fragile job security suddenly seemed infinitely more robust.
"Admittedly it was merely an FA Cup third round replay against second-tier opponents but, in tearing Cardiff apart, Gnonto and Bamford hinted at brighter days ahead for a team who travel to either Accrington Stanley or Boreham Wood in the fourth round.
"Although the Elland Road jury is still out on Marsch he is certainly succeeding in coaxing a tune out of Gnonto. The 19-year-old Italy forward, a £4m signing from FC Zürich last summer, reinforced his burgeoning status as a West Yorkshire cult hero by opening the scoring inside the opening minute.
"When Rodrigo’s clever, sumptuously chipped cross from the right dropped for Gnonto on the opposite flank the scorer responded by launching himself off the ground and unleashing a fabulous first-time, audaciously scissored volley which flew past the startled Cardiff goalkeeper, Jak Alnwick, grazing the underside of the bar en route.
"It surely belongs in the same stratosphere as Paolo Di Canio’s world-class, scissor-kick for West Ham against Wimbledon more than two decades ago and was the sort of sublime finish the world’s very best players treasure."
How Marsch's men sauntered into the fourth round
Dan Long wrote for Sky Sports:
"Leeds had to rely on a 93rd-minute equaliser from 18-year-old Sonny Perkins to force a replay in South Wales 10 days earlier, so in the first FA Cup tie at Elland Road since January 2016, it was beyond all doubt they would be desperate to set the record straight.
"In the build-up to the game, head coach Jesse Marsch had suggested a win against the Bluebirds had the potential to kick-start his side's season and, with less than 30 seconds on the clock, they got off to a flyer.
"Rodrigo floated a beautiful ball to the far side of the post, where Gnonto gained a yard or two on Tom Sang and fired in an exquisite scissor kick that was a near carbon-copy of Paulo Di Canio's iconic volley against Wimbledon in the Premier League 23 years ago.
"Gnonto and Sam Greenwood gave Cardiff full-backs Sang and Joel Bagan a torried time on either wing, but the Cardiff defence just about held firm for the next half-hour until Rodrigo latched onto Jack Harrison defence-splitting ball, drew Jak Alnwick from his line and fired in his 12th of the season.
"Within two minutes of the second, it was 3-0. Harrison was the architect once again, leading an incisive breakaway, before dropping the ball off to Gnonto, who instinctively fired in at the near post."
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