LONDON: Ipswich clung to a narrow one-point lead atop the Championship as the race for automatic promotion to the Premier League reached a thrilling climax on Monday.
Leeds secured a late 3-1 victory over Hull in the day’s final Championship match, propelling them into second place, just one point adrift of Ipswich.
Meanwhile, Leicester reignited their bid for automatic promotion with a 3-1 triumph over Norwich, placing them third in the standings, trailing Leeds by a point and Ipswich by two, but with a game in hand.
With only the top two teams guaranteed promotion to the Premier League, the battle intensifies, with the third to sixth-placed teams set for post-season playoffs.
Jeremy Sarmiento emerged as a ‘super sub,’ netting a stoppage-time winner as Ipswich reclaimed the top spot with a dramatic 3-2 victory over Southampton. Despite briefly conceding the lead to Leicester, Ipswich showcased resilience, rallying from behind once again.
Leeds also left it late, securing a vital win with late goals from Crysencio Summerville and Dan James against Hull, solidifying their grip on second place.
Leicester mounted a comeback victory over Norwich, with goals from Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Stephy Mavididi, and Jamie Vardy overturning an early deficit.
Meanwhile, Rotherham delayed relegation for at least another week with a 2-1 win over Millwall, while Birmingham moved clear of the relegation zone with a narrow 1-0 victory against Preston, courtesy of Jay Stansfield’s goal.
