Leeds United were heavily backed to beat Portsmouth in their opening fixture of the EFL Championship season on Saturday but had to settle for 3-3 draw.

Portsmouth led 2-1 and 3-2 before USA international Brenden Aaronson netted an equaliser in the 95th minute.

However, the drama did not end there. Aaronson then had a glorious chance to win the game in the eighth minute of added time but he failed to hit the target.

It was not just Leeds fans who were left disappointed when Aaronson dragged his low shot wide from 15 yards.

Many fans had selected Leeds to win as part of their Saturday accumulators. As this game was one of the 12.30pm kick-offs, those fans' bets were ruined very early.

This staggering Aaronson miss for Leeds United today is what makes that draw feel slightly less painful given we were leading in the 94th.An absolute nightmare miss, my stomach dropped like a stone when he went through.

Oh that’s a stinker. That is disgraceful from Aaronson

Brenden Aaronson (right) scored a late goal for Leeds against Portsmouth on Saturday

But Aaronson then missed a golden chance to win the game as Leeds had to settle for a draw

Aaronson looked gutted after failing to hit the target in the eighth minute of added time 

After witnessing Aaronson's late miss, multiple fans took to X (formerly) Twitter to vent their frustrations.

One fan tweeted shortly before 3pm: 'First ACCA of the new season and Leeds have tanked it already.'

Another wrote: 'Leeds have f***ed everyone's acca's haven't they.'

An account called 'FTBL Tipster' had earlier posted: 'Yep. Football's back.

'Leeds currently letting down our Championship Acca!'

Leeds finished last season third in the Championship before missing out on promotion by losing to Southampton in the play-off final.

Meanwhile, Portsmouth won League One last season after picking up maximum points in 28 of their 46 games. 

Leeds United's Squad Selection and Portsmouth's Threat

The Whites are back in competitive action this weekend with their season opener against Pompey just hours away.

Daniel Farke said in his pre-match press conference on Thursday that he can count on a fully fit squad for the visit of John Mousinho’s League One winners, which means a number of key selection decisions befall the German before a ball is even kicked.

Leeds will be looking to start off their campaign on the right foot after the disappointment of play-off final defeat at the end of last season and have been backed by various bookmakers as the division’s favourites to make a return to the Premier League.

Full league debuts have been handed to Jayden Bogle and Mateo Joseph in Daniel Farke’s first Leeds United line-up of the new season. The German has retained the same XI which defeated Valencia in the final friendly of the summer last weekend.

It means Bogle and Joe Rodon are the only new signings to be included, though the latter, of course, made his debut last season. Bogle will start at right-back, while Joseph, two-and-a-half years after arriving, finally makes his full league debut.

The 20-year-old will lead the line for the Whites, with Georginio Rutter expected to play behind him in a 4-2-3-1. In defence, Pascal Struijk has held off the challenge of Max Wober, while Ilia Gruev is preferred to Joe Rothwell in midfield.

Patrick Bamford is included on the bench and will be hoping to improve his match sharpness with an appearance. Brenden Aaronson is another of the returning faces on the bench too. Ethan Ampadu wears the armband.

Portsmouth’s Dramatic Draw Against Leeds United

Portsmouth denied Leeds United a perfect Championship opener with a dramatic display away from home on Saturday. John Mousinho’s side travelled to Elland Road in hopes of causing an upset, and while the points were split, it certainly wasn’t the ideal day out for Daniel Farke and his men.

Despite Leeds taking the lead early on, Pompey dug in their heels and found a two-goal response before half-time through Elias Sørensen and Callum Lang. The Whites replied immediately after the break but a stoppage time penalty for Portsmouth looked to completely undo Leeds’ efforts.

Lang bagged his brace by converting from the spot, looking like he had snatched an unexpected win for Pompey in their first Championship match of the season. A late Brenden Aaronson goal salvaged a point for Leeds in the 95th minute but he scuffed a golden opportunity to kill the game off just moments later.

Farke’s Reaction and Aaronson’s Missed Chance

The US international had a clear cut chance to net the winner for Leeds. In a one-on-one situation with the goalkeeper, Aaronson shot wide and the chance to bank the winner was over. This, added to the missed chances in the first half, left a lot of frustrations lingering.

Farke admitted his ‘disappointment’ in his post-match press conference but still had some positives to dish out, especially to Aaronson, who he stressed he has ‘no accusations’ towards.

“Should have won this game with Aaronson. In all matters, we would have deserved to win this game. I’m not angry, just disappointed with those 20 minutes where we switched off.

“Just a hug from me [for Aaronson], no words are needed. He is the most disappointed lad in the dressing room. Back from his loan and wants to prove his worth — he could have been the hero. Normally a player of his quality scores this and everyone sings his name. Takes time to win the crowd back and be trusted.

“Take the positives out of your first goal in your first game back and there will be more moments from here in the future. He was the hero of one point today, no accusations from my side. Compliment for his work rate and first goal.”

Looking Ahead: Leeds United’s Transfer Activity

Leeds United and Burnley are among the clubs interested in signing Chelsea centre-back Bashir Humphreys, according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano. Posting on his X account, formerly Twitter, Romano wrote: “Bashir Humphreys will leave Chelsea in the coming days either on loan or permanent.

“Leeds United and Burnley among clubs showing concrete interest, Bundesliga clubs also keen as England U21 international will try new chapter. As it stands, Chelsea prefer a sale.”

Humphreys, who progressed through the ranks at Chelsea, spent last season on loan at Swansea City, making 24 Championship appearances for the Welsh outfit, scoring once. He penned a new four-year deal with the Blues prior to moving to South Wales.

He made his senior debut in January 2023, playing as a centre-back in an FA Cup third round tie away at Premier League champions Manchester City. Humphreys was later loaned out to SC Paderborn, playing 13 times for the German club in the second tier.

The 21-year-old is regarded as a versatile defender, featuring in a variety of positions for the Swans as they secured a mid-table finish.

United are in the market for more defensive cover as Daniel Farke currently only has Sam Byram, Junior Firpo and Jayden Bogle as recognised senior options in the full-back positions. Max Wober can be deployed at left-back, although his preferred position is centre-back.

The Final Whistle: A Look Back and Ahead

It was an afternoon those present at Elland Road will long remember.

John Mousinho’s gutsy men produced a display of spirit and finishing quality to snare a point at the title favourites, on their return to the second tier after a 12-year absence.

And just as defiant were the 2,842 travelling Blues fans who made themselves heard throughout amid a packed Elland Road crowd of 36,432.

For Pompey, coming away with a point against promotion favourites Leeds is certainly no bad way to open up their campaign. As Leeds move on to their next fixture, they will be looking to put this missed opportunity behind them, hoping for a more decisive performance in their upcoming matches.