Lukas Nmecha did something for first time in 1,551 days in Leeds United win vs Everton
Leeds enjoyed a successful return to the Premier League as they beat Everton in their opening game, and new signing Lukas Nmecha particularly enjoyed it.
Three summer arrivals made their debuts in the starting lineup, and Anton Stach was arguably the most impressive with a dominant midfield performance.
Nmecha scored from the spot late on, after James Tarkowski was penalised for a handball in the penalty area.
Nmecha is one of several summer signings for Daniel Farke at Leeds, and his goal was significant for several reasons.
Nmecha ends penalty drought with first Leeds goal
Nmecha was only on the pitch for a few minutes when he stepped up to take the penalty, with the new signing already entrusted with the high-pressure spot kick.
The German slotted his penalty away with ease, as the perfect way to start his Leeds career, and this may have been a surprising moment for him.
- Nmecha joined Leeds for free from Wolfsburg, and has previously played in the Manchester City academy.
- The attacker came on for Joel Piroe in the 78th minute of the game at Elland Road.
Until he stepped up to score past Jordan Pickford, Nmecha had not taken a penalty in over four years, with his last competitive spot kick coming in a Belgian Pro League game in 2021.
Nmecha scored in a 3-3 draw as his Anderlecht side drew 3-3 with Club Brugge, against former Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet – 1,551 days before his successful spot kick against Everton.
Nmecha can be useful for Leeds this season
With Leeds aiming to add Noah Okafor to the squad after the arrival of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Nmecha’s signing may have gone under the radar.
However, if he can stay fit, the versatile forward could be a very useful asset for Farke, and his experience makes him a good fit for big moments.
Nmecha showed great composure to score the penalty having just come on for his debut, and his ability to seamlessly adapt to the situation shows a strong mentality which could prove vital over the course of the campaign.
Sign up for the MOT Leeds News WhatsApp channel and turn on notifications to have all the latest, breaking Leeds United news sent straight to your phone.