Leeds United 1-2 Southampton: Adam Armstrong Scores as Daniel Farke's Whites Have to Settle for a Play-off Place

Leeds’ slim hopes of automatic promotion were finally dashed with a 2-1 home defeat to Southampton on the final day of the Sky Bet Championship.

Saints striker Adam Armstrong’s opening goal was canceled out by Joel Piroe before Will Smallbone regained the lead for the visitors, who were worthy winners at Elland Road.

Leeds needed a win in the final game of the regular season and a home defeat for Ipswich against near-relegated Huddersfield, but neither materialized and Daniel Farke’s side must pull themselves out of a downward spiral in time for the play-offs.

After their fourth defeat in six games, they finished six points behind Ipswich, who beat Huddersfield 2-0, becoming the first second division team since Sunderland in 1998 to finish with 90 points and not gain automatic promotion.

It was a timely return to form for impressive Southampton, who finished in fourth place, after three consecutive defeats and the two sides could meet again in the play-off final at Wembley Stadium later this month. For that to happen, Leeds have to beat Norwich and the Saints have to beat West Brom.

Leeds started like a team looking to put last Friday’s heavy defeat at QPR behind them, and Georginio Rutter’s free-kick forced Alex McCarthy into an early save.

But Southampton appeared to make six changes after last week’s home defeat to Stoke and Elland Road fell silent as they took the lead in the 18th minute.

Leeds failed to clear Saints’ first corner and Che Adams’ low cross was converted by the unmarked Armstrong into his 21st league goal of the season.

However, the home team’s reaction was immediate. Sam Byram pushed deep into Saints territory and when Willy Gnonto’s cross was only half cleared, Piroe scored the equaliser.

But Leeds continued to threaten, fending off a corner just inches from their own goal line before Byram’s final tackle deflected Ryan Manning’s fizzing shot into the goal.

And in the 35th minute, the soft underbelly of the home team was exposed again.

Kyle Walker-Peters chased a long ball near the corner flag, bypassed Junior Firpo and picked out Smallbone, who ran unchallenged into the box to fire his side back forward.

Gnonto fired a low shot just wide as Leeds looked for a second equaliser, but things could have been worse for the Whites when Taylor Harwood-Bellis headed Manning’s free-kick onto the crossbar before half-time.

Southampton substitute Ryan Fraser’s curling effort left the home fans holding their breath at the start of the second half as the visitors played on with confidence.

Leeds enjoyed their best spell of the game after a triple substitution of Archie Gray, Matteo Joseph and Jaidon Anthony – for Glen Kamara, Rutter and Gnonto – with half an hour to go.

But they only had a angled shot from Crysencio Summerville, which was parried by McCarthy, and a low long-range shot from Anthony, which ensured a dominant period of possession.