Leeds defender Sol Bamba makes more clearances than any Championship player on opening weekend

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Leeds defender Sol Bamba made more clearances than any Championship player on opening weekend.

Leeds United centre-back Sol Bamba led by example as he marshalled his defence in the draw by Burnley.

The Ivorian signed permanently from Italian club Palermo this summer, and was subsequently named captain.

Bamba’s leadership skills became evident during his loan spell earlier in 2015, and he carried that on in the season opener.

Against a Burnley side attempting to bounce back from Premier League relegation, Bamba made more effective clearances than any player in the Championship on opening weekend.

Leeds made 22 clearances in total, with Bamba contributing to exactly 50 per cent of them. Giuseppe Bellusci was the other biggest contributor with six.

The match was not even Bamba’s most prolific in this area in a Leeds shirt, recording a higher number of clearances in five separate games during the 2014/15 season, in which he played just half.

The late equaliser conceded to Sam Vokes, just three minutes after Mirco Antenucci’s stunning curler was a cruel blow to Leeds, and took the shine of Bamba’s individual excellence.

The captain will care for nothing about individual achievement if Leeds do not show the clinical streak needed to close out games and make Elland Road a fortress.