Leeds United vs Queens Park Rangers
3:00pm Saturday 11th March
Elland Road (Att: 30870)
Leeds missed the chance to close the gap on Huddersfield in third after playing out a goalless draw with Queens Park Rangers.
In a game with very few clear-cut opportunities for either side, Leeds took their first goalless draw of the season against a defensively resolute QPR side who are now three games unbeaten.
Leeds goalkeeper Robert Green performed heroics in the first half to save a Conor Washington shot in a one-on-one situation, while Chris Wood, who has 25 goals this season, endured a frustrating afternoon in front of goal.
Conor Washington (right) had two of QPR’s best chances of the match
With neither side able to retain the ball for long spells in front of a lively atmosphere at Elland Road, Ayling picked up a yellow card for a late challenge on Jake Bidwell. He punched the ground in frustration afterwards as that was his tenth of the season, meaning he will miss Leeds’ next two matches.
With the half drawing to a close, Kemar Roofe would have Leeds’ best opportunity of the half.
After switching flanks with Alfonso Pedraza, the former Oxford striker cut onto his right foot and tried to curl his effort into the top-right corner. Nedum Onuoha, who had an excellent afternoon, was able to get his head in the way of the chance and was deflected behind.
The second half increased drastically in tempo with both teams searching for a goal. QPR started the better with Furlong and Washington finding plenty of space on the flanks.
With Huddersfield beating Brentford 1-0 and Reading losing 3-0 at Preston, Leeds sit two points clear in fourth place but five off third. For QPR, the draw means they drop to 15th.
Leeds made four changes to their team which drew 1-1 with Fulham in midweek. Top scorer Wood returned to the starting lineup as well as Luke Ayling, Ronaldo Vieira and Pablo Hernandez.
QPR went back to a more familiar looking line-up after manager Ian Holloway made wholesale changes in their midweek 2-1 win over Barnsley. Joel Lynch, Washington, Matt Smith and Darnell Furlong all returned.
In a very evenly matched first half with chances at a premium, the first clear sight on goal would land to Washington.
In the 14th minute, the Northern Ireland international knocked the ball past Pontus Jansson and rushed in on goal before Green, on his 600th league appearance, made a superb stop to deny the 24-year-old.
Leeds
4-2-3-1
- 1 Robert Green
- 2 Luke Ayling 35′
- 5 Kyle Bartley
- 18 Pontus Jansson
- 28 Gaetano Berardi
- 26 Liam Bridcutt (c) 66′
- 25 Ronaldo Vieira 78′
- 7 Kemar Roofe 60′
- 19 Pablo Hernandez
- 29 Alfonso Pedraza Sag 48′ 73′
- 9 Chris Wood
Subs
- 6 Liam Cooper
- 11 Souleymane Doukara 73′
- 12 Marco Silvestri
- 14 Eunan O’Kane 78′ 90+4′
- 15 Stuart Dallas
- 21 Charlie Taylor
- 24 Hadi Sacko 60′
QPR
3-4-2-1
- 1 Alex Smithies
- 5 Nedum Onuoha (c)
- 4 Grant Hall
- 6 Joel Lynch
- 29 Darnell Furlong
- 21 Massimo Luongo
- 2 Luke Freeman
- 3 Jake Bidwell 87′
- 15 Pawel Wszolek 79′
- 9 Conor Washington 80′
- 17 Matt Smith 78′
- Subs
- 10 Sean Goss
- 12 Jamie Mackie 80′ 90+4′
- 13 Matt Ingram
- 23 Yeni Ngbakoto 79′
- 40 Idrissa Sylla 78′
- 41 Ryan Manning
- 49 Ravel Morrison