LONDON: Jamie Vardy scored and missed a penalty as Leicester beat West Brom 2-1 to return to the top of the Championship on Saturday.
However, Southampton’s automatic promotion push may be over after conceding in the 95th minute to lose 2-1 at Cardiff.
Leicester had lost three of their previous five league games to put their return to the Premier League in jeopardy.
However, they could now seal promotion as early as Tuesday when Southampton visit the King Power if Leeds lose at Middlesbrough on Monday.
Leicester’s wobble could have continued had West Brom made the most of their early chances.
Hamza Choudhury made three clearances off his own line, but defeat for the Baggies makes them wait to seal a playoff place.
“It was a crazy game. We need still two wins,” said Leicester boss Enzo Maresca.
“Every time you win, you see yourself closer and you celebrate. But it’s not over, we have to finish the job. It was only 12 months ago that we were relegated, it’s not easy to come back.”
Wilfred Ndidi calmed the home side’s nerves midway through the first half, but Vardy missed the chance to give his side a 2-0 half-time lead when his spot-kick came back off the post.
Vardy made amends when he headed in Abdul Fatawu’s cross 25 minutes from time.
Jed Wallace pulled a goal back but West Brom could not find an equalizer.
Leicester move two points ahead of Ipswich and four clear of third-placed Leeds.
Southampton had taken advantage of a sudden loss of form by all the top three to reignite their chances of finishing in the top two.
However, Saints remain five points behind Ipswich with three games to play after blowing an early lead at Cardiff.
Joe Aribo fired the visitors in front after 12 minutes.
Southampton were left to rue not building on that lead as Cardiff goalkeeper Ethan Horvath’s heroics kept his side in the game.
Cardiff levelled against the run of play when Famara Diedhiou slotted home Raheem Conte’s cross.
Cian Ashford’s deflected strike then snatched all three points for the home side deep into stoppage time.
Norwich edged toward securing their place in the playoffs despite being held 1-1 at home by Bristol City.
Hull remain six points behind both West Brom and Norwich with just nine left to play for after a 0-0 draw at Watford.
At the bottom, Huddersfield’s 4-0 thrashing at home to Swansea left them rooted in the bottom three.
Birmingham missed the chance to pull clear of the drop zone after a 0-0 draw at already-relegated Rotherham.
Stoke secured survival with a 3-0 win over Plymouth.
Millwall also ensured their second-tier status with a 1-0 victory at Sunderland.
Leicester go top of Championship as Southampton stumble
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Leicester go top of Championship as Southampton stumble
- Leicester had lost three of their previous five league games to put their return to the Premier League in jeopardy
- Leicester move two points ahead of Ipswich and four clear of third-placed Leeds
Real Sociedad end Barca winning streak to tighten Liga title race
- The Catalan giants, who hit the woodwork four times and had two goals disallowed, now only lead rivals Real Madrid by a single point at the top of the table
SAN SEBASTIAN, Spain: Real Sociedad damaged Barcelona’s title defense ambitions as Goncalo Guedes gave them a surprise 2-1 La Liga victory on Sunday as Hansi Flick’s side fell to a first defeat in 12 matches.
The Catalan giants, who hit the woodwork four times and had two goals disallowed, now only lead rivals Real Madrid by a single point at the top of the table after Alvaro Arbeloa’s side beat Levante on Saturday.
Hosts Real Sociedad, now unbeaten in four games under new American coach Pellegrino Matarazzo, had Carlos Soler sent off late on but managed to hold on to triumph and climb up to eighth.
“I think we deserved to win today, we had a lot of chances, but in the end you have to put them away,” Barca midfielder Frenkie de Jong told DAZN.
“We played well but we didn’t win... their goalkeeper had a very good game.”
Sociedad shot-stopper Alex Remiro made several crucial saves.
“Three great points and a great game,” said Remiro.
“We’ve started this year in great form... this is the energy we have, how we’ve changed (recently).”
In a frantic start to a compelling game at the rainy Reale Arena, both teams had goals ruled out.
La Real had the ball in the net inside 30 seconds when Mikel Oyarzabal headed home Guedes’s cross, but had strayed offside.
At the other end, Barcelona’s Fermin Lopez drilled home from range but Dani Olmo had committed a foul in the build-up and it was ruled out.
With teenage winger Lamine Yamal keen to take on defenders, Barca got in often down the right flank. The 18-year-old teed up Olmo who fired high over the bar when he might have sent the Catalans ahead.
Yamal found the net himself but the goal was ruled out for an extremely tight offside, before Real Sociedad took the lead against the run of play.
Oyarzabal lashed home Guedes’s cross with a blistering volley inside Joan Garcia’s near post.
Yamal was felled just inside the area before half-time but although the referee pointed to the spot, a VAR review showed that the youngster was offside again and it was canceled out.
Remiro heroics
Barcelona turned up the pressure in the second half and Real Sociedad were left depending on Remiro and the frame of the goal to keep the Catalans at bay.
Olmo crashed a shot against the post from Lopez’s cross and then Remiro denied the Barca midfielder with a fine near-post save.
Remiro then tipped substitute Robert Lewandowski’s header against the crossbar with the save of the night.
Another Barca substitute, Marcus Rashford, eventually pulled the champions level, heading Yamal’s cross home after 70 minutes.
However, the hosts immediately regained their advantage after Barca goalkeeper Garcia initially saved Carlos Soler’s shot. The midfielder was able to gather the rebound and cross for Guedes, who fired La Real ahead again.
They should have got a third when Garcia, out of his goal, had no chance of saving Oyarzabal’s effort but Pau Cubarsi headed the ball off the line.
Barcelona came within centimeters of an equalizer when Joao Cancelo, on his second debut for the club, crossed for Jules Kounde, who headed against the crossbar.
Soler was dismissed for an ugly foul on Pedri before nine minutes of stoppage time were added on.
Rashford hit the post directly from a corner kick as Barca pushed until the end but could not find a way through.
