EFL Championship: QPR Stun Leaders Burnley To Keep Title Away

Burnley's hopes of securing the EFL Championship title were dashed as QPR pulled off a surprising 2-1 victory at Turf Moor.

Despite already securing promotion to the Premier League, Burnley was eager to maintain their unbeaten home record. However, QPR had other plans as they fought for survival near the relegation zone.

Gareth Ainsworth's men took the lead in 58 minutes with a stunning volley from captain Sam Field, catching Burnley off guard. Burnley, determined to salvage the match, managed to equalize with just 14 minutes remaining when Manuel Benson curled a remarkable finish into the far corner of QPR's goal.

But just as Burnley was pushing for a winner, QPR delivered a sucker punch in the dying moments of the game. Chris Martin headed in Jamal Lowe's cross, securing a dramatic 2-1 victory for the visitors and denting Burnley's title aspirations.

"I'm not disappointed, I actually expected it. What it shows is we're inexperienced in these trophy-winning moments," said Burnley manager Vincent Kompany, who has been linked with managerial positions at Tottenham and Chelsea.

"I had the experience as a player at (Manchester) City and it's an incredible learning experience - you have to keep your game simple and play to win the game, not chase to win the trophy."

QPR's win lifted them four points clear of the relegation zone with just two games left to play, giving them a fighting chance to avoid the drop.

Meanwhile, Burnley's missed opportunity to secure the Championship title leaves them with work to do in their remaining matches.

In other Championship action, Blackpool and Wigan also secured important wins to keep their hopes of avoiding relegation alive. Blackpool secured a 1-0 victory at Birmingham, climbing to within three points of safety, while Wigan earned a hard-fought 2-1 win against Millwall to remain at the bottom of the table but only a point adrift.

Coventry capitalized on Millwall's defeat to climb up to fifth with a 2-1 win against Reading, leaving the Royals still in the bottom three.

With the Championship season entering its final stages, the race for playoff spots is heating up. West Brom and Sunderland have the opportunity to move into the playoff places with a victory in their upcoming clash at The Hawthorns on Sunday.

Blackburn's winless run extended to seven games as they drew 1-1 with Preston, and Norwich's chances of making the playoffs suffered a major blow as they were thrashed 3-0 at home by Swansea, playing with 10 men.