Leeds’ Promotion Push Derailed: Szmodics Shines in Blackburn’s Victory

Leeds’ push for promotion is severely hampered by Szmodics and Blackburn.

TFD – Dive into the intense battle as Szmodics leads Blackburn to victory, hampering Leeds’ promotion hopes.

Blackburn secured a dramatic victory at Elland Road, shattering Leeds’s hopes of automatic promotion with a goal from Sammie Szmodics.

Rovers defended for large stretches of the game, and the defeat prevented the host team from topping the table for at least a few hours. In a commanding first half for Leeds, Crysencio Summerville, Wilfried Gnonto, and Connor Roberts put Aynsley Pears to the test. After the intermission, the home team also had opportunities, but Szmodics punished them with eight minutes remaining.

Joel Piroe’s attempt was deflected for a corner, putting Leeds up early on. Summerville was tripped by Hayden Carter, and Pears blocked his narrowly angled free kick and stopped Gnonto’s subsequent effort.

Five minutes before halftime, Szmodics forced Illan Meslier to make his first move, diving low to his left to keep out a breakaway attempt from Blackburn.

Meslier put pressure on his own team when he handed the ball to a Blackburn player, but fortunately for him, Joe Rankin-Costello missed the mark with his shot. Blackburn saw an opportunity, and Szmodics crossed low from the right, but Roberts stretched to prevent Tyrhys Dolan from getting a touch, so he was unable to find a teammate.

Leeds increased their pressure, but in the 82nd minute, Szmodics delivered the game-winning strike, making them pay for their negligence. After Pears’s kick, Sam Gallagher nodded, Dolan turned to free his partner, and Szmodics completed with style.

A complete roundup of the Championship will be added to this post later.