QPR 2
Saito 17, Cook 30
LEEDS UNITED 2
Fox 40 (og), Bogle 51
Leeds United boss Daniel Farke admitted he made a mistake by not selecting Ilia Gruev against Queens Park Rangers, where the leaders came from two down to earn a point.
Farke considered starting with the defensive midfielder but instead opted for a more attacking approach.
It backfired as goals from Koki Saito and Steve Cook put the hosts, who had lost their previous four matches, into a surprise lead after 30 minutes.
Morgan Fox’s own-goal gave the visitors a much-needed boost before the interval and Jayden Bogle equalised soon after the restart, with QPR ending the match with ten men after Saito was sent off in stoppage time for a studs-up challenge on Dan James.
Greedy
Farke said: “I’m a bit unhappy with myself because I thought until the early hours of the morning about bringing Ilia in.
“Whenever I’ve brought him in in our away games our defensive awareness and sharpness is always a bit more on it.
“Ilia gives us this defensive awareness, but I was a bit too greedy and wanted to dominate the game.
“This was the problem in the first 30 minutes.
“The goals were too cheap.
“And then when you’re 2-0 down you don’t need to bring on more defensive awareness, you need to take risks.”
Farke did, however, make an excellent call when he made a half-time sub, bringing on Willy Gnonto in place of Brenden Aaronson, who gave the ball away in the build-up to QPR’s first goal.
Gnonto, usually a winger, was deployed in a central position and had a big impact, helping to set up the equaliser.
“I was convinced he would make an impact,” said Farke.
“I don’t want to be too greedy.
“We wanted to win but, after the story of the game, it’s a good point on the road.
“We take it and it brings us closer to where we want to finish.”
Match action
It looked like being another miserable trip to Loftus Road – and London in general – for Leeds, who had lost nine of their previous ten matches in the capital and 24 of their previous 31.
They were on the front foot from the opening whistle, but went behind after one minute, following an error by Aaronson.
After Saito cut in from the left past Bogle, Aaronson intercepted the ball near the edge of his own area, but his attempted pass to Bogle instead rolled back to Saito, who unleashed a terrific first-time strike beyond Illan Meslier and into the far corner of the net.
Worse followed on the half-hour mark, when Paul Smyth’s right-wing cross was headed in off a post by Cook from near the penalty spot.
The deficit was reduced ten minutes later.
After nice interplay near the edge of the box, Manor Solomon laid the ball in from the left to Junior Firpo, who tried to nudge it past goalkeeper Paul Nardi but instead, it deflected in off Fox.
Second half
Farke brought on Gnonto and he quickly made an impact, helping to set up the goal which hauled the visitors level six minutes into the second half.
Gnonto’s clever pass played in James on the right and the Welshman’s cross deflected off Fox towards Solomon, who was denied by Nardi at blank range, but Bogle was on point-hand to tuck away.
Leeds pushed hard for a winner but Rangers defended resolutely for a point.
QPR boss Marti Cifuentes was proud of his team’s efforts, but acknowledged that conceding a goal before half-time was a big blow.
“In the past couple of performances we lacked a bit of urgency, but today we showed that from the beginning,” he said.
“I’m very proud of the way we started the game against a fantastic side.
“It was a pity to concede with perhaps the only chance they had in the first half.
“But when you play against quality teams they don’t need much to score goals.
“I cannot be happy after leading 2-0, but I’m still proud of the guys.”
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