New signings feature as QPR score five in first friendly

QPR’s new signings featured as the Julien Stephan era opened with a 5-0 win against Stevenage in a behind-closed-doors pre-season friendly at Rangers’ Heston training ground.

Summer arrivals Kwame Poku, Amadou Mbengue, Kealey Adamson and Timothy Akindileni were all involved for the R’s.

There was also a first outing – and a goal –  for Harvey Vale, who was signed from Chelsea in January but was sidelined by a back problem.

And striker Zan Celar, out since suffering a hamstring injury in December, returned to action along with Steve Cook, who missed the final matches of last season because of a foot injury.

In their first game since Stephan’s appointment as head coach, Rangers were four up by half-time.

Karamoko Dembele scored twice and there were also goals for Ilias Chair and Taylor Richards.

Dembele capitalised on two defensive mistakes, first to open the scoring and then, after Chair’s free-kick had made it 2-0, to tee up Richards for Rangers’ third goal.

Dembele started and finished a nice move for the fourth, laying the ball off to Chair and then continuing his run into the box, where he scored from close range after being set up by Charlie Kelman.

Vale made it five with a left-footed strike on 80 minutes.

Paul Nardi, Michael Frey and Nicolas Madsen sat out the game, as did Rayan Kolli.

Frey, Madsen and keeper Nardi picked up minor injuries in training this week, while Rangers said on their website on Friday that Kolli would miss the match as the club “are carefully managing his training load as part of an individual programme as he works towards match fitness.”

Jake Clarke-Salter, who had hip surgery in January, remains sidelined for the time being along with forward Alfie Lloyd.

First-half QPR line-up: Walsh; Dunne, Cook, Akindileni, Esquerdinha, Varane; Morgan; Dembele, Richards, Chair; Kelman.
Second half: Salomon; Adamson, Mbengue, Morrison, Larkeche; Field, Vale; Poku (Dillion 77), Sutton, Smyth; Celar (Bennie 77).