LONDON, Dec 27 — Leeds moved to the top of the English Championship as Joel Piroe’s double sealed a 2-0 win at struggling Stoke yesterday.
Piroe netted either side of half-time to move Leeds above Yorkshire rivals Sheffield United, who were beaten by fellow promotion chasers Burnley earlier in the day.
Daniel Farke’s side sit at the summit on goal difference after a seventh victory in their last nine games and just their second in their last eight away matches.
Third-placed Burnley’s 2-0 win at Bramall Lane was a boost to both their promotion credentials and those of Leeds.
Josh Brownhill headed the Clarets in front from a Bashir Humphreys cross just before half-time and Zian Flemming’s deflected effort secured the points for Scott Parker’s in-form side.
Fourth-placed Sunderland’s hopes of maintaining the pressure on the sides above them were hit by a last-gasp equaliser by Harry Leonard for Blackburn at Ewood Park.
Two swift second-half goals from Chris Rigg and Wilson Isidor had wiped out Yuki Ohashi’s early opener and looked set to win it for Sunderland until Leonard fired home in the 90th minute.
Sheffield Wednesday surged back from a 3-0 half-time deficit to snatch a point in a 3-3 draw with 10-man Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium.
A Finn Azaz double and Ben Doak’s opener seemed to have put Middlesbrough in control.
But second-half strikes from Svante Ingelsson, Josh Windass and Yan Valery sealed Wednesday’s comeback as the hosts had Rav van den Berg sent off.
Frank Lampard got one over his old England team-mate Wayne Rooney as rock-bottom Plymouth were thumped 4-0 at Coventry.
Gary Rowett got his reign as Oxford boss off to a bright start as goals from Mark Harris, Ciaron Brown and Przemyslaw Placheta saw them cling on for a 3-2 win over Cardiff.
Rocco Vata scored deep into stoppage-time to claim a 2-1 win for Watford against Portsmouth at Vicarage Road.
Liam Cullen’s double sent Swansea to a 3-0 win over QPR and first-half goals from Emiliano Marcondes and Oscar Schwartau were enough for Norwich to beat Millwall 2-1 at Carrow Road.
Brad Potts scored in Preston’s 1-0 win over Hull and Scott Twine netted for Bristol City in their 1-0 victory against Luton. — AFP
