Leeds United ace stuns BBC man after ‘mad’ development on international break amid injury fears
Leeds United may be looking to avoid injuries as a priority over the international break but Junior Firpo and Mateo Joseph have provided extra bright spots, says Adam Pope.
Reacting on Don’t Go To Bed Just Yet on 14 October the BBC journalist admitted it was “mad” that left-back Firpo is continuing to prove such an attacking feature for the Dominican Republic, after his late double in the 5-0 win over Antigua and Barbuda on 12 October.
The Elland Road cult hero chipped home a penalty in stoppage time, having started up front against Bermuda on 7 September.
Pope said (4m): “The biggest business for me was whether they were going to have to surgically repair people after the international break, on top of what is already quite a big repair job prior to the international break.
“So seeing Mateo Joseph score a hat-trick, and looking in good form, for Spain Under-21s is good.
“Seeing Junior Firpo doing mad Firpo things, Panenka-ing penalties and scoring, in the way he did at Sunderland actually, it was very similar way he finished it off, that’s decent.
“So far, so good.”
Junior Firpo scored at both ends in Leeds United v Sunderland
Firpo’s fortunes on international duty are becoming a favourite sideshow for many Whites fans after the 28-year-old declared for the Dominican Republic.
It is a measure of how he has rebounded from a miserable first two years at the club following his move from Barcelona, where his time in the Premier League was characterised by injury issues and chaotic defending.
He has been reborn as a vital attacking full-back under Daniel Farke in the Championship, contributing eight assists across the regular season and play-offs last term once he established himself in the starting XI at the turn of the year.
He has two more already this term and scored a breakaway goal in the 2-2 draw at Sunderland prior to the international break (4 October) that looked like being the winner.
Instead he was then credited with an own goal for Illan Meslier’s bizarre error in stoppage time as two points were lost, when a harmless ball deflected off his head from outside the box and bounced towards goal.
His frustrated reaction after the final whistle was criticised by Jeff Stelling as he stormed down the tunnel once the victory slipped away, but has become a key player for the side over the past year despite links with an exit in the summer [Daily Mail, 1 July].
His contract is running down and he has given the club the green light to sort an extension, but has a preferred exit destination if a deal doesn’t get done [TEAMtalk, 12 September].
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