QPR 2-2 LEEDS: CHAMPIONSHIP PROMOTION RACE TAKES ANOTHER TWIST AS LEADERS ARE DEALT TITLE BLOW DESPITE FIGHTING BACK FROM TWO GOALS DOWN

• QPR held Leeds to a point in a four-goal thriller at Loftus Road on Saturday 
• The hosts took a two-goal lead but the league leaders fought back to level terms 
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Just when Leeds thought they had overcome their shaky late-season form, Daniel Farke and his side were handed a reminder that this promotion race is far from over.

This time it was a struggling Queens Park Rangers side who upset the apple cart as they held Leeds to a 2-2 draw and, as a result, put a major dent into Farke's title hopes.

QPR's dire form heading into the match coupled with Leeds' victory over Millwall midweek led many to believe that winning would be a formality for the table toppers in W12.

However, after an opening quarter of an hour which saw the visitors dominate, it was Rangers who struck first - albeit with a stroke of good fortune.

Koki Saito was the architect of the move as he danced at Jayden Bogle on the left-side, before trying to pull the ball back to a teammate on the edge of the area.

Though his attempt was intercepted by a yellow shirt, the ball found its way back to Saito who curled a stunning first-time effort into the top corner.

An opening goal was more than most QPR fans had expected prior to the match and, as they revelled in the winger's scintillating strike, the hosts quickly found a second.

In the 30th minute, veteran defender Steve Cook rose highest to meet a floated cross from Paul Smyth and power a header into the back of the Leeds net.

The visiting supporters were stunned into silence while those amongst the home stands were left in jubilation. However, those celebrations were short-lived.

Though Farke's side appeared rattled by Rangers' first-half onslaught, they managed to pull one back in the 40th minute through Junior Firpo.

A well-worked move was finished off by the marauding full-back after he poked home inside the six-yard box - despite protests to the officials from QPR's backline.

Scoring before the break proved vital for Leeds and, after the interval, they looked the part of a Premier League hopeful as they dismantled QPR time and time again.

A half-time change which saw the introduction of Willy Gnonto sparked the visitors back into life and, six minutes into the second-half, they were level.

This time it was Jayden Bogle who put the finishing touches on a blistering attack from Farke's side despite the best attempts from Rangers keeper Paul Nardi.

The French stopper made a fine save to deny Tottenham loanee Manor Solomon but could do little to prevent an unchallenged Bogle from poking home.

Momentum was with the visitors but despite their best efforts, they failed to find another breakthrough as the hosts fought valiantly to defend their point.

However, their determination and grit backfired on them late on as Saito was shown a straight red card for a nasty, studs-up challenge on a Leeds defender.

In many ways, it felt as though Marti Cifuentes' plucky underdogs defied the odds by scraping a draw with the league leaders. Perhaps that's a testament to Leeds' tremendous form this year.

However, this shaky end-of-season display will feel all too familiar to Leeds who are looking to erase the heartbreak of last season's play-off final defeat and restore their status among England's elite.

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2025-03-15T15:05:30Z