Cardiff 0 Leeds 2: United find swagger to go with their rise up table

Former Valencia and Swansea City winger Hernandez rifled an 82nd-minute gem into the top right-hand corner, doubling United’s lead in Cardiff after Chris Wood’s 62nd-minute penalty.

Striker Wood coolly stroked the ball home from 12 yards by sending Bluebirds goalkeeper Ben Amos the wrong way after United’s man-of-the-match centre-back Pontus Jansson had been hurled down in the box.

Swedish international defender Jansson was a commanding presence throughout and integral to United netting their third Championship success of the season and second in a week.

Four days after Tuesday night’s 2-1 triumph at home to Blackburn Rovers had lifted Leeds out of the relegation zone, Saturday’s win in Wales elevated them to 15th.

In a tightly congested division, Leeds are now only four points off the play-off spots and five points clear of the drop zone.

Hernandez, whose stunning strike was voted Sky’s goal of the weekend, was reluctant to set specific targets, but nevertheless admitted this week’s two quickfire victories have now left confidence brimming within the Whites.

“It’s always good for my confidence when I score and it’s good for my confidence in the future, but more important is the three points,” Hernandez said.

“It was very important for us to win two games in a week because we haven’t started the season very well. Now with these two wins I think the team can go up in confidence and keep more calm. For the confidence of the team it’s unbelievable these two wins.”

Victory at home to Ipswich Town next Saturday could feasibly take Leeds into the division’s top half, but Hernandez warned: “You win one game and you go up three or four positions.

“But if you lose one game you go four or five positions down.

“It’s too early (to make predictions) and the key now is to only think about the next game and to keep this performance going. With this performance the team can win a lot more games.”

Leeds lined up in Cardiff missing their captain Liam Bridcutt who limped off with a foot injury in the win against Blackburn and was not risked by Whites’ head coach Garry Monk.

Eighteen-year-old midfielder Ronaldo Vieira took his place and excelled, with centre-back Kyle Bartley taking the captain’s arm-band.

Leeds were somewhat fortunate not to concede in the first half as Cardiff twice hit a post from corners as efforts from Sean Morrison and then Aron Gunnarsson cannoned back off the woodwork.