The lowdown on QPR 2 Preston 1 – Rangers come from behind to continue fine recent form
Here is the lowdown on the match.
THE LINE-UPS
QPR: Nardi, Dunne, Cook, Morrison (Fox 24), Paal (Clarke-Salter 90+1), Field, Varane, Morgan, Smyth (Bennie 90+1), Kolli (Frey 62), Saito (Chair 62). Subs not used: Walsh, Dixon-Bonner, Madsen, Andersen.
Preston: Woodman, Kesler-Hayden, Whatmough (Holmes 55), Lindsay, Storey, Potts (Brady h/t), McCann, Thordarson, Frokjaer (Okkels 75), Greenwood (Keane 64), Osmajic (Riis 64). Subs not used: Cornell, Whiteman, Ledson, Bauer.
SNAPSHOT OF THE GAME
QPR continued their recent resurgence with an impressive second-half comeback to see off Preston. A late Jimmy Dunne goal gave Marti Cifuentes’ side all three points after Preston defender Liam Lindsay had been sent off. Rayan Kolli drew Rangers level after Milutun Osmajic had put North End ahead in somewhat controversial circumstances midway through the first half.
The visitors went ahead at Loftus Road through striker Milutin Osmajic, as he took advantage of Steve Cook going down with an injury before finishing past Paul Nardi.
Rangers had hit the crossbar early on through Kenneth Paal, but Rangers best moments were saved for after the interval.
Rayan Kolli equalised on 50 minutes, making the most of a great run and cross from Paul Smyth to sweep home a finish.
Sam Field then missed a glorious chance to put QPR ahead before Preston defender Liam Lindsay was shown a second yellow card for fouling Kieran Morgan.
Smyth hit the crossbar in the closing stages before North End keeper Freddie Woodman made a remarkable double save to keep out both the Northern Irish international and Ilias Chair.
That looked to have secured a point for Preston, only for Dunne to pop up at the back post to head in a delightful Chair cross.
The decision to play young midfielder Kieran Morgan instead of the Danish pair of Lucas Andersen and Nicolas Madsen made Rangers far more fluid in possession and dangerous when attacking.
Cifuentes was forced to make an adjustment when Cook went off injured, switching Liam Morrison to the right centre-back position with Morgan Fox taking his place to the left.
That did little to slow Rangers’ rhythm though, and they came out in the second half playing at an even higher tempo that Preston could not live with.
A double change just after the hour mark, with Ilias Chair and Michael Frey replacing Koki Saito and Rayan Kolli gave Rangers even greater impetus as QPR continue to get players back from injury.
STAR MAN
Kieran Morgan. The 18-year-old found clever spaces to influence the game from throughout and his forward passing helped QPR look far more dangerous than they have for much of this season. It will be hard to leave him out of the team going forward.
BEST MOMENT
Dunne’s late winner. The big defender has now scored four times under Cifuentes, with three of those goals setting QPR on the way to victory. With QPR now winning three matches in a row at Loftus Road, it would be easy to start taking home victories for granted but the roar that greeted the decisive moment showed how big of a moment it was.
MOAN OF THE MATCH
The aftermath of Lindsay’s red card. As soon as referee Matt Donohue brandished the second yellow, Preston goalkeeper Freddie Woodman hit the turf and called for the physio to come on. Paul Heckingbottom took this as an opportunity to call his entire team over to the touchline and talk them through how they should re-adjust for the situation at hand. While there was frustration in the stands at Loftus Road, the players on the pitch kept their composure and created more than enough chances to earn the late win.
A TALKING POINT DOWN THE PUB
Steve Cook’s injury. QPR only won one of nine games last season when Cook was not playing. He was a monumental part of the team’s good form at the end of the campaign and, even though Rangers have struggled at the start of the current season, Cook – who was named club captain in the summer – has still been one a consistent performer this term. Cifuentes suggested that it was not an Achilles issue after the game, but fans will be waiting with baited breath for an update on his condition.
WHAT THE BOSS HAD TO SAY
“For me, it’s perhaps the best performance of the season. Not only because of the way we played, not only because, aside from the goal, I just remember one shot from an angle [conceded].
“Very happy with the performance of everyone but the mentality that the guys showed, starting the game so well, hitting the crossbar, creating chances and being the dominant team, and in the first approach we concede a goal and lose our captain, that’s something that mentally can be hard.”