Leeds United secured a vital 2-1 victory over Watford at Elland Road, capitalizing on two major goalkeeping errors to climb to second in the Championship table. The win extends their unbeaten run and strengthens their promotion credentials. Elsewhere, Cardiff City moved out of the relegation zone with a key win, while several other matches across the league were filled with dramatic comebacks and shared points.
Bachmann’s Blunders Give Leeds a Flying Start
Leeds took full control of the match within the opening minutes, thanks to a disastrous start from Watford goalkeeper Daniel Bachmann. The home side’s pressure paid off almost immediately.
Largie Ramazani opened the scoring by reacting quickest to a poorly cleared ball, slotting it past the keeper. Just moments later, Brenden Aaronson doubled the lead. Bachmann fumbled what should have been a routine collection, gifting the ball to Aaronson for an easy tap-in.
The two goals inside the first seven minutes left Watford stunned and their defense in chaos. Leeds dominated the remainder of the first half, looking comfortable and poised to add to their tally against a struggling Watford side.
Watford’s Second-Half Rally Is Not Enough
Despite a dismal first half, Watford emerged from the break with renewed purpose and nearly turned the game around. Their improved performance put Leeds under pressure for large periods of the second half.
The visitors found a lifeline when 20-year-old forward Kwadwo Baah found the net, taking advantage of some rare slack defending from Leeds to cut the deficit in half. This goal sparked a period of sustained pressure from Watford, who created several chances to find an equalizer.
However, the home side’s defense managed to hold on. The loss marked Watford’s fifth consecutive defeat on the road, leaving them languishing in the bottom half of the table.
Cardiff Continue Resurgence to Ease Relegation Fears
In another crucial Championship fixture, Cardiff City secured a 2-0 victory over Portsmouth to climb out of the relegation zone. The win continues their remarkable turnaround under interim manager Omer Riza.
Cardiff took the lead early through an own goal from Portsmouth’s Regan Poole. Callum Robinson sealed the victory with a second strike before the 15-minute mark, ensuring the Bluebirds took all three points.
The result is a testament to the impact Riza has had since taking charge.
- Under Riza, Cardiff have taken an impressive 10 points from just four matches.
- The team has now moved clear of the bottom three, boosting morale at the club.
There are now growing calls from fans and pundits for Riza to be appointed as the club’s permanent manager following this impressive run of form.
Thrills and Comebacks in the Championship Round-Up
The weekend’s action was packed with drama across the league, as several teams fought back from losing positions to claim important points. The results highlight the competitive nature of England’s second tier.
Comebacks were a major theme, with both Norwich City and Bristol City erasing two-goal deficits to secure 2-2 draws against Preston and Stoke, respectively. The result for Bristol City was particularly impressive, extending their unbeaten run to six matches.
| Home Team | Result | Away Team |
|---|---|---|
| Norwich City | 2-2 | Preston |
| Bristol City | 2-2 | Stoke |
| Oxford United | 1-1 | Derby |
| QPR | 1-1 | Coventry City |
| Swansea City | 0-0 | Sheffield Wednesday |
Meanwhile, QPR earned a valuable point against Coventry, with teenager Kieran Morgan’s first career goal lifting them off the bottom of the table. The goalless draw between Swansea and Sheffield Wednesday extended the Swans’ winless streak to five games.
