Leicester City earned promotion back to the Premier League on Friday after nearest rivals Leeds United were beaten 4-0 by Queens Park Rangers, giving the Championship leaders an unassailable lead in the standings.

The result left second-placed Leeds's chances of automatic promotion from the second-tier Championship hanging by a thread. They trail Leicester by four points with one game left to play and are only a point ahead of Ipswich Town, who have two games in hand.

It was a dream first half for QPR as the London side scored two goals without reply.

First Ilias Chair scored with a deflected effort from outside the area, while a curled finish from Lucas Andersen midway through the first half made it 2-0.

"It's difficult to find an explanation for the first 20 minutes," Leeds manager Daniel Farke told a news conference.

"We lacked the basics. The basics are to run, to fight, to invest, to be brave, to be compact as a team. We were lacking this in the first 20 minutes."

Leeds tried to up the pressure in the second half but with little effect, with French forward Georginio Rutter pulling a shot wide from the middle of the penalty area.

Scottish forward Lyndon Dykes and Sam Field both scored headers from set pieces in the second half to complete the 4-0 win.

Farke turned to his bench to try and influence the game and it was one of those substitutes, striker Mateo Joseph, who came closest, seeing his close-range attempt turned wide by Rangers keeper Asmir Begovic.

"Congratulations to QPR for a well-deserved win tonight and congratulations to Leicester for promotion," said Farke.

"Right now it's not in our hands anymore. The race is not over. If Ipswich don't win the next two games we have a lot to play for on the last day."

Rangers manager Marti Cifuentes was full of praise for his own side, who secured their status in the Championship having been in danger of relegation before kickoff.

QPR were mired in the relegation zone, six points adrift of safety, when they appointed Cifuentes in October but after taking 45 points from 31 games, Cifuentes has guided his team to safety with one game to spare.

"When I came here I was perhaps a bit crazy thinking I was sure we could make the great escape. I think we managed it," Cifuentes said.

"Tonight is going to be a long night for a lot of people."

Source:
courtesy of ESPN

by ESPN NEWS

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