Queens Park Rangers (QPR) picked up a thrilling 2-1 victory against Birmingham City on Saturday. Captain Kieran Morgan then provided the day’s drama with a brilliant last-minute shot, clinching victory! The match, held at Loftus Road, showcased a rollercoaster of emotions as QPR climbed to sixth place in the Sky Bet Championship standings.
The first half saw QPR take an early lead through Jimmy Dunne, who scored with a powerful header five minutes before half-time. Birmingham had a hard time defending the corner. Dunne took the chance and flicked his header over their goalkeeper, James Beadle. That would be Dunne’s second of the season, and a great start to the match for QPR.
That all changed in the most dramatic fashion in the final seconds of regulation. Going into the final stretch, QPR looked set to win the match. Welshman Patrick Roberts of Birmingham City volleyed in an equalizer in the third minute of stoppage time. Roberts slotted home at the back post after being found by a low cross from Gray, sending QPR fans into dismay.
A Last-Minute Twist
Against all odds, Kieran Morgan conjured up an incredible late equalizer with just seconds remaining and the last kick of the game. His amazing hustle guaranteed all three points for QPR. Morgan’s late equalizer came after a perfectly placed cross from Amadou Mbengue. Koki Saito Fischer directed it back across the goal mouth, allowing Paul Smyth to make a perfectly timed run for the assist. Even though Smyth’s original downward header was parried aside by Beadle, Morgan pounced on the loose ball for a killer finish to seal it.
Birmingham’s manager Chris Davies, while stating his sadness at the situation, did admit it was a bitter pill to accept conceding a last-minute goal.
“Last-minute winners are the worst feeling in football and we have to take our medicine,” – Chris Davies.
Sheffield Wednesday’s dramatic late winner was the perfect illustration of just how competitive the Championship is. It demonstrated QPR’s majestic resilience as they claimed their fourth victory in five games.
Missed Opportunities
On the surface, it was a game of missed chances, with a standout play on each side. Then Richard Kone had a great opportunity to punish the home side, volleying over from only six yards out, after having his first shot saved. His inability to convert stymied Birmingham’s chances, setting the stage for their late equalizing goal.
Birmingham pushed forward with overwhelming force in the final third and they finally broke through when Roberts struck it. It was QPR’s spirit that really stood out, as they came back from the brink to claim a famous win.
In a first half where both sides had equal opportunities, it was QPR who took advantage of some appalling defending from Birmingham. Dunne’s thumping header was perhaps the epitome of this, as Birmingham was not able to handle Middlesbrough on a corner and crumbled under pressure.
A Vital Three Points
In addition to this particular victory, this match boosted QPR into sixth place of the English second division (called the Championship), strengthening their standing in the playoff line. The victory not only gave their spirits a much-needed lift. It showcased their knack for thriving when the chips were down.
Kieran Morgan’s last-minute winner would complete a comeback and epitomise QPR’s never-say-die attitude and resolve on the day.
“It was a lot of positive emotion just after a negative emotion,” – Julien Stephan.
Having generated all this excitement, QPR will be hoping to capitalise on this momentum as they inevitably shift focus to their next fixture. Birmingham needs to shake off this deeply frustrating loss in haste. They’ll have to address their own defensive mistakes ahead of matches with the highly-favored Brazil and Japa…
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