Leeds United earned a point at Loftus Road, having gone two goals down, to secure a 2-2 draw against Queens Park Rangers on Saturday, March 15, 2025. The match showcased both teams' determination, as Leeds came back from adversity, maintaining their position at the top of the Championship.
Leeds, currently the leaders of the Championship, faced off against QPR, which began the match on the back of four consecutive losses. The home side started strong, with Koki Saito opening the scoring after just 17 minutes, taking advantage of a loose pass from Brenden Aaronson to curl the ball from outside the penalty area beyond Leeds goalkeeper Illan Meslier.
Thirteen minutes later, QPR doubled their lead through captain Steve Cook. Lucas Andersen and Paul Smyth collaborated down the right, with Smyth sending in a cross, allowing Cook to bend his header past Meslier, putting Leeds down 2-0 within the first half hour. Yet, Leeds demonstrated resilience under pressure. Just before half-time, they managed to regain momentum. A quick sequence of passes involving Junior Firpo, Aaronson, Joel Piroe, and Manor Solomon concluded with Firpo’s effort deflecting off QPR defender Morgan Fox, leading to what would be cataloged as an own goal just before the break.
With the score at 2-1, Leeds regrouped and made tactical changes, substituting Willy Gnonto for Aaronson at half-time. This decision paid off early, as Gnonto made an immediate impact, threading the ball through for Dan James, whose cut-back found Jayden Bogle unmarked. Bogle made no mistake, leveling the score at 2-2 just six minutes after the restart.
Despite both sides aggressively pursuing the winning goal, the remaining minutes saw chances wasted; most notable was Cook forcing Meslier to make another reflex save. Leeds continued to pressure, but QPR's defense held firm, with Pascal Struijk blocking another close-range attempt from Jimmy Dunne.
Discipline was also tested in the closing moments of the match when QPR’s Koki Saito received a straight red card for a studs-up challenge on James, forcing the home team to finish with ten men.
Post-match reactions reflected mixed feelings from both managements. QPR boss Marti Cifuentes expressed disappointment yet pride: "Mixed feelings today. Definitely from one side we are disappointed to not take the three points after taking a lead of 2-0. But I'm aware we played against a very good team, the best in the league, so I'm very proud of the guys." Leeds manager Daniel Farke also noted, "During this period of the season when you have to play the third game in six days and you are 2-0 down after 30 minutes, it's a good point. What was good was the reaction of my team today.
While Leeds may have settled for the point, it still increased their lead at the top of the table to three points, with Sheffield United expected to play their own match the following day. Meanwhile, this draw ended QPR’s four-match losing streak, marking a small positive step as they strive to shift their fortunes.
The game highlighted the tenacity and skills on both sides as they fight for goals and points. Leeds United, with their current form, still aim for promotion, and the fight continues as the season progresses.
Throughout the match, Leeds maintained 65% possession early on but struggled against QPR’s pressing tactics, which made for an intense competition on the pitch. The notable individual performances included Bogle and Gnonto, whose introductions and contributions proved pivotal for Leeds.
The season’s remaining weeks promise to be thrilling as teams try to secure their places either for automatic promotion or playoff contention.
Leeds have now scored in 31 of their 38 league games so far this season, continuing their strong run of form, and look to consolidate their status as they approach April. Meanwhile, QPR also seeks to build on this draw to gain momentum heading forward.