Leeds United moved back to the top of the Sky Bet Championship standings with a 2-0 win over Millwall at The Den. Jake Cooper’s own goal gave Leeds the lead just three minutes into the match, with Ao Tanaka sealing the win in the 85th minute with a powerful finish. The victory puts Leeds two points ahead of second-place Sheffield United and four points clear of third-place Burnley, who both drew their respective matches on Tuesday.
The match started with a stroke of luck for Leeds as Cooper deflected a cross past his own goalkeeper, giving the visitors an early advantage. Despite Millwall’s efforts to respond, Leeds held firm, with Millwall failing to make much headway against a disciplined Leeds defense. The game remained tight until late in the match when Tanaka doubled Leeds’ lead, firing home from outside the box after a well-timed pass. This solidified Leeds’ place at the summit of the Championship, with the team now in a strong position as the season heads into its final stretch.
In another crucial fixture at the bottom of the table, Plymouth Argyle secured their first away win of the season, edging Portsmouth 2-1 at Fratton Park. The win came as a massive boost to Plymouth’s survival chances, with the Pilgrims having struggled on the road for much of the campaign. Mustapha Bundu and Ryan Hardie scored for Plymouth to put them in control, with Portsmouth failing to capitalize on their opportunities.
The game took a dramatic turn in the final moments when Plymouth’s Matthew Sorinola was shown a red card, giving Portsmouth a numerical advantage. This sparked a late surge from Pompey, and they pulled a goal back through Adil Aouchiche, whose excellent strike gave the home fans hope of a comeback. However, despite their late pressure, Plymouth managed to hold on and secure the three points, keeping their survival hopes alive.
In other action, Stoke City earned a vital 1-0 win over Blackburn Rovers, a result that helped lift them further away from the relegation zone. Ali al-Hamadi, who had recently been called up for Iraq’s World Cup qualifiers, scored the only goal of the game in the 19th minute. Stoke’s defense, aided by a couple of crucial saves from goalkeeper Viktor Johansson, held firm despite a late push from Blackburn, who were unable to break down the Potters’ resilient backline. Stoke’s win moved them up to 19th place, four points clear of the bottom three, while Blackburn’s fourth consecutive game without a win leaves them four points off the playoff positions.
Watford managed to secure only their second home win since Boxing Day, overcoming Swansea 1-0. Moussa Sissoko’s 27th-minute strike proved to be the difference between the two sides in a match that was marked by numerous individual mistakes. Despite the win, Watford’s performance was far from perfect, but the victory was enough to get them back on track as they look to climb the table. Swansea, on the other hand, suffered their first defeat under interim manager Alan Sheehan, with the loss leaving them mid-table and struggling to maintain consistency.
In another relegation battle, Hull City defeated Oxford United 2-1 in a crucial clash between two teams in danger of dropping into League One. Oxford initially took the lead through Michal Helik, but Hull responded quickly with two goals in three minutes. Joe Gelhardt leveled the score before Oxford goalkeeper Jamie Cumming turned the ball into his own net, giving Hull the advantage. Although Hull were reduced to 10 men late in the game after a red card for Gustavo Puerta, the win moved them five points clear of the relegation zone, while Oxford remained just four points above the drop.
As the season progresses, Leeds’ return to the top of the Championship is a significant development in the race for promotion. Meanwhile, teams near the bottom of the table continue to fight for survival, with Plymouth, Stoke, and Hull all picking up important wins in their respective battles. The coming weeks will be crucial as teams jockey for position in both the promotion and relegation races.
