QPR’s unbeaten run ended by Millwall
Millwall 2Mazou-Sacko (3′)
Neghli (17′)
QPR 0
QPR were punished for some appalling defending as they suffered a first defeat in six matches.
Derek Mazou-Sacko put promotion-chasing Millwall ahead after just two and a half minutes at The Den and Camiel Neghli doubled their lead a quarter of an hour later.
For the opener, Femi Azeez was allowed to send in a low cross from the right and, after Jake Clarke-Salter’s attempted clearance ran loose and Kieran Morgan reacted too slowly, Mazou-Sacko fired past keeper Joe Walsh from near the edge of the penalty area.
As the Lions continued to dominate – and QPR’s laughable ‘defending’ continued – Casper De Norre’s cross was headed wide by an unchallenged Tristan Crama.
A second goal seemed inevitable – and arrived with some help from Amadou Mbengue and Jonathan Varane.
After Mbengue lost the ball and then a challenge on the right, Varane fluffed a clearance and was then embarrassed by Neghli, who turned inside him, leaving the midfielder on his backside, and curled a fine strike into the far corner of the net.
In the midst of an all-too familiar awayday no-show by QPR, head coach Julien Stephan made his feelings clear by making a quadruple substitution at half-time, taking off Mbengue, Varane, Morgan and Paul Smyth, and sending on Steve Cook, Rumarn Burrell, Isaac Hayden and the fit-again Nicolas Madsen.
Rangers were better in the second half – they could hardly been worse – and Burrell headed wide of the target before Ilias Chair also made his return to action, coming on as a substitute on the hour mark.
Chair fired wide of the near post after a trademark cut inside from the left onto his right foot, and Madsen’s 89th-minute shot was pushed away by keeper Anthony Patterson.
QPR: Walsh; Mbengue (Cook 46), Edwards, Clarke-Salter, Norrington-Davies; Varane (Hayden 46), Morgan (Madsen 46); Poku (Chair 60), Vale, Smyth (Burrell 46); Kone.
Subs not used: Hamer, Kolli, Adamson, Bennie.
