Leeds United were beaten 4-2 by Derby County at Elland Road last night.
Leeds were beaten 4-2 by Derby at Elland Road last night, as their promotion dreams were ended for another year.
Leeds were much the better side in the first leg, but they were caught out by Frank Lampard’s men yesterday.
Derby played in a more direct way than they have for most of the season, and Leeds really struggled to deal with the threat that the Rams posed.
Leeds had a two-goal lead on aggregate, but as soon as they conceded the first to Derby they collapsed.
And Hasselbaink, who used to play at Elland Road, admits that his former side didn’t deserve to go through.
He said: “That directness gave Leeds so many problems. They deserve to have won and gone through.
“It’s hard for me to say for Leeds, but Frank has done magnificently with his team. They came here and earned the right to go to Wembley.”
Leeds will not have to watch from home as Derby and Aston Villa take each other on at Wembley.
The Whites came so close to returning to the Premier League for the first time since 2004, but they just couldn’t get over the line in the end.
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