Daniel Farke singled out Archie Gray after the teenager starred in Leeds’ 2-1 Sky Bet Championship win over Bristol City.
The 17-year-old midfielder was drafted in at right-back and kept Sam Bell quiet until the winger was replaced with 25 minutes to go at Elland Road.
Dan James gave Leeds the lead, only for Kal Naismith to head in an equaliser in stoppage time at the end of the first half.
However, Joel Piroe’s controlled strike early in the second half proved decisive as the home side again wasted chances to win by a clearer margin.
Farke said: “I have to give all the compliments to Archie. You can have an idea but it’s much more important the player brings it on the pitch.
“Archie was there with a terrific performance against the ball and also with the ball. It’s all about his potential as a character.”
Farke was happy with the way his side dominated but rued the number of chances they missed.
The German continued: “We created so many chances against such a rock solid side. The only thing I can criticise is not taking our chances, the game should have been done at half-time.”
James finally broke the deadlock after 36 minutes after the ball broke to him six yards out and he found the bottom corner with a left foot shot.
The visitors levelled at the end of the half as Naismith rose to head in a corner and earn his side a barely deserved equaliser.
Leeds went back in front seven minutes into the second half when Piroe shot in low from 20 yards, after the home side had worked the ball across the City area.
The home side should have won by a greater margin but for a glaring first half miss from two yards by Rutter and City goalkeeper Max O’Leary’s save which denied Crysencio Summerville in the second half.
City pushed for a late equaliser but Sam Byram headed off the line from a corner, then blocked a goalbound shot as Leeds held on.
The Robins’ assistant boss Curtis Fleming felt his side had missed a chance to take something out of the game.
He said: “We feel it was a missed opportunity, if I’m honest.
“Leeds are a good side but we controlled the ball well at times and caused them problems and we didn’t trouble them as much as we wanted to. I don’t think we showed as much as what we wanted to.
“They have real quality (in attack) and we knew that coming into the game. We knew we had to concentrate as much as we could as a defensive unit.
“There’s no doubt if you give quality sides chances they will score goals.
“We had a couple of (late) chances but we feel it was a missed chance today. We feel we didn’t ask them as many questions as we could.”
City lost forward Nahki Wells to a first half ankle injury but Fleming hoped it was not too serious ahead of a two-week international break.
Fleming added: “Nahki is a real handful at the moment and it was disappointing to lose him. It’s probably come at a good time, when he has got two weeks (to recover).”
Al-Riyadh 2-2 Al-Nassr: Laporte sent off for punch as Al-Nemer salvages point
Former Manchester City defender Aymeric Laporte was sent off for punching Mohammed Al-Aqel on the arm as Al-Nassr played out a 2-2 draw with Al-Riyadh in the Saudi Pro League.
Meshari Al-Nemer's 97th-minute strike salvaged a point for Al-Nassr, who had trailed for over half the game and played with a one-man disadvantage for over half an hour.
Otavio had put Al-Nassr ahead only for Andre Gray to drag the hosts level, before Al-Aqel gave David Ospina no chance with a terrific overhead kick to make it 2-1.
Al-Nassr's position was put in further jeopardy when Laporte was sent off following a bizarre off-the-ball incident which saw him grab and punch Al-Aqel on the elbow, while Cristiano Ronaldo came up with a glaring miss from Sadio Mane's pass across the six-yard box.
Al-Nemer levelled at the death for Al-Nassr, though they still sit some 14 points adrift of champions Al-Hilal, who could complete an unbeaten season against Al-Wehda on Monday.
Data Debrief: Laporte's horror show
It was a game to forget for Laporte, whose bizarre punch on Al-Aqel put Al-Nassr up against it versus a team still in danger of relegation.
Laporte did not attempt a single tackle in the game while his four duels contested were the joint-fewest of every outfield starter (alongside Khalid Al-Shuwayyi). He was also sent off in Al-Nassr's AFC Champions League quarter-final tie against Al Ain in March.
Putellas signs two-year deal with Barcelona
Barcelona midfielder Alexia Putellas has signed a two-year deal until 2026, the club announced on Thursday.
Putellas was due to be out of contract next month, but extends her 12-year relationship with Barcelona, with the new deal also including an option for an additional season.
The 30-year-old is a two-time Ballon d’Or winner in 2021 and 2022, though she has struggled with injuries that have kept her sidelined since winning the second.
Overall, she has made 424 appearances, scoring a record 189 goals for the club, playing a pivotal role in Barcelona’s recent domination in women’s football.
Putellas has won 29 major trophies with Barcelona and is looking for another on Saturday when they face Lyon in the Champions League final.
Having already clinched Liga F, the Copa de la Reina and the Spanish Supercopa this season, Putellas can help Barcelona to complete an unprecedented quadruple with a win over the French champions.
Sargent earns recall as Pulisic, Balogun and Adams headline USA's preliminary Copa America squad
United States coach Gregg Berhalter has named a 27-man preliminary squad ahead of the Copa America.
Josh Sargent, the Norwich City forward, has earned a recall to the USA squad for the upcoming friendlies against Brazil and Colombia, and is set to feature for his country for the first time since 2022.
With first-choice right-back Sergino Dest injured, meanwhile, Berhalter has turned to Nashville SC's Shaq Moore in defence.
Christian Pulisic, Tyler Adams, Matt Turner, Weston McKennie and Brendan Aaronson are among the established names to feature.
Former Arsenal forward Folarin Balogun, who opted to represent the USA rather than England, has also made the cut, as has Coventry City's Haji Wright, who has had a strong season in England's second tier.
Berhalter explained Sargent had been called up to give him another option in attack, with Wright seen primarily as a wide option.
"Between their club form and what they've done for the national team in the past, we think it's a talented group of strikers," he said.
Giovanni Reyna, the 21-year-old Borussia Dortmund attacker who has been on loan at Nottingham Forest since January, has also been included, despite a feud between Berhalter and the playmaker's family in the wake of the World Cup.
Antonee Robinson has had another impressive season with Fulham, and has been called up alongside club-mate Tim Ream.
Former Manchester City goalkeeper Zack Steffen was a notable omission, as were MLS stars Jesus Ferreira and Jordan Morris.
"This summer presents an opportunity for us to progress and grow as a team as we continue to build towards the 2026 FIFA World Cup," Berhalter said.
"We have a talented group of players and are excited about the opportunity to compete against some of the best teams in the world."
Berhalter will cut down his squad after the friendlies, with Copa hosts USA taking on Uruguay, Paraguay and Bolivia in Group C.
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