Championship play-off football is often played on a knife's edge with neither team wanting to mess up or make an error, which doesn't always lend itself to the most free-flowing spectacle for the neutral.
Norwich City versus Leeds United certainly fell into that cagey bracket, with Daniel Farke's Whites the happier of the two sides with the final 0-0 scoreline when the teams trudged off at the end in the Carrow Road sunshine.
The German boss in the Leeds dug-out will hope the sun keeps shining in a second-leg win when the action picks back up at Elland Road this coming Thursday night, knowing that he has one particular member of his squad to thank after giving the Whites a solid platform to strut their stuff on home soil.
Ethan Ampadu's performance vs Norwich in numbers
Leeds will be grateful for the valiant efforts of both Joe Rodon and Ethan Ampadu in the centre-back spots, helping a previously leaky Whites – who shipped four not too long ago away at Queens Park Rangers – pick up a clean sheet on their travels down to Norfolk.
Ampadu, in particular, shone against David Wagner's hosts with an imperious performance from the ex-Chelsea man nullifying dangerous striker Josh Sargent up top for the Canaries all afternoon.
Amazingly, the imposing centre-back would misplace just one of his 79 passes on the day to finish the stalemate with a 99% pass accuracy alongside winning 100% of his ground duels in the tense affair.
This would result in the aforementioned Sargent only completing 21 touches of the ball trying to give Norwich some impetus going forward up against the brick wall of Rodon and Ampadu, with the 23-year-old Whites captain successfully winning two tackles as well.
Minutes played
90
Touches
76
Accurate passes
70/71 (99%)
Tackles won
2
Duels won
2/3
Possession lost
2x
Stats by Sofascore
Only squandering possession two times against Wagner's men also, it wasn't a shock to see Ampadu praised after the 0-0 draw was done with Leeds Live's Beren Cross handing out an 8/10 rating to the Welshman who stated that he 'didn't put a foot wrong.'
It was definitely a game for those who love to watch the bravery of defenders come out on top over attacking players causing all sorts of bother, with Crysencio Summerville trying to unlock an equally stern Norwich defence all game but to no avail.
Crysencio Summerville's performance in numbers
Summerville, who was given a generous 6/10 rating post-match by Cross, will know he has more in his locker than what he showed against the Canaries.
With Wilfried Gnonto and Georginio Rutter also unable to grab the game by the scruff of its neck as Summerville's attacking partners, the Dutchman at least troubled the hosts on occasion with one shot on target managed alongside two key passes.
The former Feyenoord winger couldn't produce the goods as he did in the regular campaign in Norfolk, where two late goals from the dynamic 22-year-old won a dramatic contest 3-2, but the second leg being open and more on the front foot should suit the enigmatic attacker's game.
Leeds will just be glad they didn't give themselves a mountain to climb returning back to Elland Road for the second leg, in a clash that Summerville and Co could turn on the style in to seal a nail-biting trip to Wembley.
The Leeds back four will have to be on their A-Game too, however, with the Whites desperate to please their home supporters on the way to promotion being reached.
