Memories of Leicester’s historic Premier League title triumph are fading as their bid to return to the top flight faces another setback with a defeat at Bristol City.
The loss allowed Massimo Luongo’s Ipswich to overtake them in the Championship, securing one of the automatic promotion spots with a 1-0 victory at Blackburn.
Conor Chaplin’s early goal propelled Ipswich to the top, although Leeds had the chance to reclaim the position in Friday’s late fixture against Watford.
Leicester suffered at Ashton Gate, with Anis Mehmeti’s stunning strike proving decisive. Despite creating numerous chances, former England striker Jamie Vardy was thwarted twice by excellent saves from Robins goalkeeper Max O’Leary when one-on-one with the Robins goalkeeper, his clear misses COST the team all 3 points.
Manager Enzo Maresca expressed confidence in his team’s performance, attributing recent defeats to missed opportunities rather than lackluster displays. He defended Vardy, emphasizing the striker’s significant contributions to the club over the years.
In League One, Yusini Yengi, fresh from scoring for the Socceroos, made a substitute appearance as Portsmouth extended their lead over Bolton to 11 points with a 3-1 victory at Wycombe. Portsmouth now require eight points from their remaining six games to secure promotion, with a comfortable lead over second-placed Derby.
Middlesbrough, featuring Sammy Silvera alongside Yengi, salvaged a draw against Southampton in the Championship, with Emmanuel Latte Lath scoring a late equalizer. Norwich came from behind to defeat Plymouth 2-1, while Coventry and Preston kept their playoff hopes alive with wins over Huddersfield and Rotherham respectively.
QPR secured a dramatic 2-1 victory over Birmingham, courtesy of Jimmy Dunne’s injury-time volley, while Sheffield Wednesday were held to a 1-1 draw by Swansea, leaving Birmingham just outside the relegation zone.
Stoke claimed a crucial 2-0 victory over playoff-chasing Hull, Sunderland triumphed by the same scoreline at Cardiff, and West Brom settled for a 1-1 draw at Millwall. These results further shaped the competitive landscape across the Championship and League One, with each match holding significant implications for the teams involved.