BREAKING NEWS: Leeds United boss Daniel Farke reveals what he said to Brenden Aaronson after his bitter-sweet cameo versus Portsmouth

LEEDS UNITED manager Daniel Farke says he consoled Brendon Aaronsen after his bittersweet cameo in Saturday’s riotous 3-3 opening-day Championship draw with Portsmouth at Elland Road.

The US international, jeered by some supporters when he came on after 71 minutes on his second ‘debut’ for Leeds – after spending last season on loan at Union Berlin – received cheers after saving the day in the fifth minute of stoppage time after Portsmouth took a shock 3-2 lead a few minutes earlier after Callum Lang’s second goal of the game – when he netted from the spot after debutant Jayden Bogle was penalised.

Moments after his goal, Aaronson had the chance to bring the house down and net a famous winner, but fired wide with the goal gaping.

Farke, who confirmed that there were no transfer updates regarding squad ins and outs after the game, said: “He just got a hug from myself because there are no words needed.

“I told him to hold his head up and he was probably the most disappointed lad in the dressing room, but he doesn’t have to (be) because coming back after a difficult season out on loan, he wants to prove his worth.

“It was a difficult start to the game, with one or two mistakes but he showed great character to fight his way back into this game with lots of effort and a good work-rate and got a fantastic equaliser and could have been the hero with the second chance because normally a player of his quality scores such a goal. It was much more difficult than the first chance.

“Obviously, he would have sat on the shoulders of his team-mates and everyone would sing his name. But football is life, it’s never easy.

“After a difficult spell, it’s not like you press a button and come back and you are the hero again. It lasts a bit longer to win everyone over and earn the trust back and it was a good first step with an important equaliser and good work-rate.

“It’s just important he doesn’t dwell on that as you don’t expect it to be easy. We are also Leeds United and never do it the easy way. It’s also the same for him, take the positives and be happy and proud of your first goal in your first game back and there will be more moments to shine in the season and be the hero.”

Despite producing 22 goal attempts, United had to settle for a point, despite dominating large parts of the game, but a combination of wasteful finishing, bad luck – Leeds hit the bar three times in the opening seven minutes – and fitful defending ensured that newly-promoted Portsmouth took something back to the south coast.

This despite mustering just five attempts on goal.

Farke continued: “I am not angry, it’s the Championship. Of course, we are disappointed we didn’t win this game after a pretty dominant performance in many spurts.

“But it is also a sign in this league, that you always have to be switched on in small situations. They can change the whole game. This is the reason why we didn’t win this game.

“We started so much on the front foot. Probably one of the best 20 minutes here at Elland Road I have ever seen and scored a fantastic goal and hit the crossbar three times and normally the game should be dead and buried.

“Obviously, you can’t play and be that dominant over 90 minutes, because otherwise you would win such a game 22 to nil and this never happens.

“So you have to be a bit smarter when the game comes down and I think we lost a bit of our awareness. I wouldn’t say we were arrogant, but we gave away some unnecessary set-pieces away and it was the first time in our half.”

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