Crysencio Summerville gets Leeds back on track against QPR
Crysencio Summerville's early goal was enough to see Leeds past the visitors
Crysencio Summerville’s early goal ensured Leeds returned to winning ways in the Championship with a 1-0 victory over QPR at Elland Road.
The first half seemed too easy for the hosts who were looking to make it consecutive home wins for the first time this season and had their opener inside 10 minutes thanks to Summerville.
The Whites missed a handful of chances in the second period through Patrick Bamford, Dan James and Pascal Struijk but held on to register their second home success of the campaign after goalkeeper Asmir Begovic was sent off in stoppage time.
Leeds opened the scoring in the ninth minute when QPR were dispossessed in the middle of the park and Georginio Rutter slid through to Summerville who lifted over Begovic.
Daniel Farke’s side were aiming to bounce back from their 3-1 defeat to Southampton at the weekend and they sensed blood in the early stages of the encounter – Summerville’s inswinging corner met the head of Liam Cooper who nodded just wide.
QPR were struggling for form and it showed in the opening quarter of the match. Leeds could have had another when Rutter set up Summerville for a second time but his effort was somehow blocked behind.
The visitors failed to make any impression in the first 45 but had their first sight of goal when Sinclair Armstrong raced through but his cross-shot ran comfortably out of play.
With just a one-goal margin, there was a shift in the atmosphere around the ground and QPR registered their first shot on target in the 66th minute when space opened up for Ilias Chair but his effort from 20 yards was pouched by Illan Meslier.
Substitutes Bamford and James provided some impetus off the bench and Leeds could have had a second, though the latter’s deflected shot was saved easily by Begovic with 15 minutes to play.
Two minutes later Bamford latched on to Rutter’s long ball forward before his first-time effort was parried behind as Leeds looked to turn the screw.
Leeds enjoyed their best spell of the game towards the end of the second half and moments after James’ goal-bound deflected cross was turned behind by Begovic, they ought to have scored again but Struijk somehow blazed over from three yards following a corner.
Leeds’ slender lead remained precarious and QPR almost made them pay with two minutes left when Jimmy Dunne knocked a long ball on to the onrushing boot of Lyndon Dykes but Meslier was on hand to keep the hosts’ clean sheet intact.
QPR were reduced to 10 men after Begovic brought last man Bamford down outside the area with the goal at his mercy and Dykes was forced to take the goalkeepers’ gloves for stoppage time, which Leeds saw out to move into the play-off places.
