Wolverhampton 1-2 QPR: Match Report

31 December 2016 17:34

Wszolek winner sinks Wolves and ends QPR's losing run

Pawel Wszolek struck a late winner as QPR ended their six-match losing run in the Sky Bet Championship a 2-1 victory against Wolves at Molineux.

Wszolek took full advantage of confusion in the Wolves defence in the 87th minute to bustle his way through and stab a low shot past Carl Ikeme.

Struggling Rangers had taken the lead in the 53rd minute with Idrissa Sylla's seventh goal of the season - and his side's first in 413 minutes of football. Their last had also been against Wolves, in a 2-1 loss at Loftus Road on December 1.

Wolves midfielder Dave Edwards then continued his prolific run in front of goal with his sixth goal in nine games when he pounced in the 61st minute.

It looked set to be good enough to rescue a point for Paul Lambert's side, only for Wszolek to strike.

Rangers boss Ian Holloway, only appointed in November, was met with chants by the Wolves fans of, 'You're getting sacked in the morning' only two minutes into the game, to which he replied with an ironic round of applause.

He soon had very good reason to applaud Grant Hall when the defender prevented Wolves taking a 10th-minute lead.

Wolves wingers Ivan Cavaleiro and Helder Costa combined to create an excellent chance for Nouha Dicko, whose angled shot looked goal-bound, only for a last-ditch block from Hall to deflect the ball over the bar.

Rangers were then indebted to goalkeeper Alex Smithies for keeping them on level terms with a smart save in the 22nd minute.

Bright Enobakhare exchanged passes with Dicko before charging toward goal, but Smithies deflected away his low shot with his legs.

Dicko was frustrated again after 35 minutes, but on this occasion by his own finishing.

Costa floated a left-wing cross into the area, but Dicko could not get enough power on the ball to turn it toward goal - and in the process he took it away from Edwards who was rushing in at the far post.

Having been on the back foot for much of the half, Rangers finally created a chance of their own on the stroke of half-time, only for Sylla to steer Jake Bidwell's left-wing cross wide.

But Sylla did not make the same mistake when he was presented with a second chance early in the second half.

This time be side-footed the ball home from the edge of the six-yard box after Wszolek had whipped in a low cross from the right wing.

The shock of falling behind left Molineux stunned, but the Wolves reaction was swift.

Conor Coady's pass from the centre of the pitch was collected by Costa and his right-wing centre was buried by Edwards with a neat close-range volley.

Edwards was inches away from scoring again six minutes from time when he narrowly failed to connect with Cavaleiro's cross, but instead it was Wszolek who made the decisive contribution at the other end.


Source: PA