Leeds beats Forest 2-1 to climb out of EPL's relegation zone

LEEDS, England (AP) — Luis Sinisterra’s strike completed Leeds' rally for a 2-1 home win in its Premier League relegation battle against Nottingham Forest on Tuesday.

The Colombia winger, making just his second start since early February due to a muscle injury, curled home the winner in first-half stoppage time to lift his team out of the bottom three.

Forest took a 12th-minute lead through Orel Mangala, only for Jack Harrison to equalize in the 20th before Sinisterra scored to extend the visitors’ winless league run to eight matches.

Leeds bounced back from Saturday’s 4-1 loss at Arsenal and has taken 10 points from Javi Gracia’s six league games in charge. The team climbed five places to 13th in a heavily congested bottom half of the standings.

Forest served warning of its early threat when Emmanuel Dennis struck the post in the eighth minute after Felipe flicked on Morgan Gibbs-White’s corner.

Mangala’s first goal for the club then gave Forest the lead.

Leeds was hit on the break and, after racing on to Danilo’s pass down the left, Dennis cut the ball back to the edge of the area for Mangala to steer a low finish into the bottom corner.

But Leeds trailed only briefly. Marc Roca’s thumping 25-yard low drive was parried by Forest goalkeeper Keylor Navas and Harrison slammed home the rebound for his third goal in four matches.

Forest was forced to defend in numbers, with Patrick Bamford failing to connect cleanly in front of goal after Roca’s pull-back.

Leeds then took the lead as Sinisterra stepped inside from the left, evading both Neco Williams and Mangala, and whipped a low, right-footed finish inside the far post.

Leeds continued to dictate at the start of the second half and Sinisterra had the home fans out of their seats with a curling effort as Leeds chased a third goal. Bamford then lashed a great chance off target.

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