Leeds United reclaimed the top spot in the Championship with a commanding 3-0 win against Luton Town at Elland Road. Sam Byram put the home side ahead early on, reacting swiftly to volley into the far corner after his initial shot was blocked. Joel Piroe doubled the lead just before halftime, capitalizing on Pascal Struijk’s header from a corner that was parried by Thomas Kaminski. Dan James sealed the victory in the 81st minute by lobbing Kaminski, propelling Daniel Farke’s team back above Yorkshire rivals Sheffield United in the table on goal difference. Burnley and Sunderland trail by two points in third and fourth places respectively, while Luton Town sits in 16th, only three points clear of the relegation zone.
Blackburn Rovers closed the gap on Middlesbrough in the playoff spots to just two points with a 1-0 victory at the Riverside Stadium. Todd Cantwell’s goal was disallowed for offside in the 72nd minute, but he later assisted Dominic Hyam, who also appeared offside, to score the decisive goal from close range. Queens Park Rangers secured their first win in 13 league games with a 2-0 triumph over Cardiff City, moving them off the bottom of the table. Zan Celar, who missed a penalty last week, scored his maiden goal for the club with a fine turn and finish before halftime and sealed the victory with a counter-attack goal in injury time.
Swansea City secured a 2-1 win at Derby County, thanks to a blistering finish from Zan Vipotnik within the first two minutes. Ronald doubled the lead with a smart finish in the 14th minute, and the visitors held on despite Nathaniel Mendez-Laing’s penalty in the 65th minute. Portsmouth’s home match against Millwall was postponed after Fratton Park experienced a 40-minute power outage. The lights returned at 8.15pm, but the game was ultimately called off for safety reasons, drawing loud boos from the crowd. Portsmouth’s chief executive, Andrew Cullen, expressed disappointment, citing safety concerns as the reason for the postponement.
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