- English Barclays Premier League
- 6 May 2012, 2:00pm
- Loftus Road
- Attendance: 17,319
QPR | v | Stoke |
1
| 0 |
live commentary
90 mins:FULL TIME: QPR 1-0 STOKE. Jubilation! The final whistle blows and Loftus Road bursts into life once again as Cisse's late goal sends them clear of the bottom three.
90 mins:The news of West Brom's goal has reached the crowd here and QPR just have to keep Stoke out now.
90 mins:So close! Peter Crouch has just missed a glorious chance to put a real dampener on proceedings for his old club as he skews wide from six yards.
90 mins:QPR fans hold onto your hats...because West Brom have stormed back to draw level 2-2 with Bolton.
90 mins:There will be four minutes of added time.
88 mins:GOAL: QPR 1-0 STOKE. Unbelievable drama! QPR have given themselves a chance as Taiwo crosses and DJIBRIL CISSE is unmarked at the far post to roll into the net. Loftus Road just lost a roof.
86 mins:The frustration levels almost boil over for Joey Barton as a throw-in goes against him and he remonstrates with the referee.
84 mins:The changes haven't really livened QPR up a great deal and Stoke look very comfortable.
81 mins:We are into the final ten minutes now and a final roll of the dice for QPR as Zamora and Derry are replaced by Wright-Phillips and Bothroyd.
78 mins:Stoke make a double change now as Jones and Whitehead replace Jerome and Fuller.
77 mins:Much better from QPR as Cisse gets between two defenders to head towards the top corner but Sorenson somehow claws it away.
75 mins:It gets worse for QPR now as Bolton go 2-0 up. The hosts simply have to score here.
74 mins:Do QPR know they need to win this? They should be charging forward to win this game at all costs but they don't seem to have the stomach for the fight.
71 mins:Taarabt has a chance to whip the ball into the box and all the big men are up from the back, but he hits the first man.
69 mins:Joey Barton stings a shot across the box but its always rises high over the cross bar.
66 mins:The quality of football has been simply awful today. The passing has been almost non-existent and both keepers have been underworked so far.
63 mins:There are precious few chances at either end here in all honesty as this game begins to become very sloppy.
60 mins:QPR have half an hour to give themselves a realistic chance of survival on the final day.
58 mins:The pressure is really showing and the home fans are so tense that they can't find their voice.
56 mins:Cisse curls a shot towards the far corner after cutting in off the left but he doesn't get enough whip on it.
53 mins:Ricardo Fuller who hardly touched the ball in the first half almost has a vital touch now but he smashes wide.
51 mins:A change for QPR with Akos Buzsaky replaced by Djibril Cisse.
50 mins:QPR haven't really started this second half yet and the Potters are looking the brighter side now.
47 mins:Almost immediately Stoke create a chance for Crouch but the big striker nods wide of the near post.
46 mins:The second half is underway at Loftus Road.
45 mins:A change at the break for Stoke with Wilson replaced by Shotton.
45 mins:HALF TIME: QPR 0-0 STOKE. The nerves are jangling at Loftus Road but QPR have probably been the more dangerous side and that will encourage Mark Hughes.
43 mins:Stoke look very short on ideas today and without Matthew Etherington bombing down the wing they are fully reliant on the high ball.
40 mins:A chance for Stoke to break at pace but Jerome goes too early and is flagged offside, much to his manager's displeasure.
38 mins:Another half chance for QPR on the break but Zamora can't get high enough to meet Barton's cross and keep it down.
35 mins:Barton is enjoying a bit of a free role today and he ghosts into the box but can only head Taarabt's cross straight at Sorenson.
33 mins:Joey Barton has another shot at goal with a clipped effort towards the far corner but Sorenson just watches it float over the bar.
30 mins:The noise level has gone up a notch as news of Bolton's goal filters through to the home fans and they look to roar their team on.
28 mins:Chances are at a premium here so far with both sides looking to take the aerial route to goal.
26 mins:Huge goal elsewhere! BOLTON lead against West Brom and, as it stands, QPR are in the relegation zone.
24 mins:For a split second there is a chance for Zamora but he misses his header and Wilson clears before Mackie can slide in.
21 mins:Mark Hughes is all arms and legs on the touchline as he issues orders to his side. You can sense the tension on every face in the crowd too.
19 mins:Rangers are looking to get Taarabt involved at every opportunity but Stoke are keeping him in check so far.
16 mins:Peter Crouch has built a reputation for scoring spectacular volleys through his career but this attempt won't be joining that list as he misses his kick.
14 mins:Close! A scramble in the Stoke box and Joey Barton fires into the side netting when he had Zamora waiting for a cut back.
11 mins:Stoke are beginning to fire the ball towards their big front men and QPR are on the ropes a little.
9 mins:The Jerome chance has increased the tension inside Loftus Road as the home fans and players realise how close they are to real trouble.
6 mins:Great chance! Cameron Jerome misses a near open goal from six yards and QPR survive. He really should have found the net there.
4 mins:Tony Pulis has picked four strikers in his starting lineup today so you'd expect them to get the ball forward quickly.
2 mins:An early chance for QPR as they fly out of the blocks and Zamora is inches away from finding the bottom corner.
1 mins:This huge game for the hosts is underway.
Stoke: Sorenson, Huth, Shawcross, Upson, Wilson, Delap, Whelan, Jerome, Walters, Fuller, Crouch.
QPR: Kenny, Onuoha, Hill, Ferdinand, Taiwo, Derry, Buzsaky, Barton, Taarabt, Mackie, Zamora.
Stoke have endured a testing campaign in which they have been less consistent than usual and may be suffering the after effects of their earlier Europa League exploits.
QPR were abysmal against Chelsea last weekend and with a trip to Manchester City on the final day their players will know that a win is imperative this afternoon.
Welcome to a tense and anxious Loftus Road as QPR face a must win game against Stoke.
- English Barclays Premier League
- 6 May 2012, 2:00pm
- Loftus Road
- Attendance: 17,319
| QPR | v | Stoke |
1
| 0 |
match report
Djibril Cisse scored two minutes from time to drag QPR from the canvas and record a hugely important 1-0 Premier League win against Stoke.
Rangers limped through the vast majority of this match and looked set to slip back into the relegation zone, but Cisse stepped off the bench to tap home at the back post after 88 minutes to set the stands at Loftus Road rocking.
Rangers recorded a remarkable 3-2 victory over Liverpool in March with a last minute winner but this result will live much longer in the memory of Rangers fans for its huge significance.
Thanks to West Brom's late comeback to draw 2-2 at Bolton, QPR are now two points above the relegation zone ahead of next weekend's season finale at Manchester City.
A draw at City will be enough to see Rangers survive, although even if they fail to achieve such a difficult task, Bolton will have to win at Stoke to survive.
Rangers fans swamped the pitch after the game in celebration at knowing their team are nearer to survival, but for most of the 90 minutes they barracked their team, who were pitiful performers.
There was no spark in midfield, little threat up front and there were also shaky moments at the back. And all this coming against a Potters team whose season is 55 matches and 10 months old.
Yet, it did not matter in the end for the fans and a jubilant Tony Fernandes thanks to Cisse, who stole in at the back post to convert Anton Ferdinand's flick-on and secure the three points.
Stoke looked the stronger side early on. Despite hitting out at manager Tony Pulis in midweek, Cameron Jerome started in a Stoke team that contained four strikers.
The former Cardiff striker spectacularly failed to reward his manager early on, however, when he latched on to Peter Crouch's knock-down to volley over from 10 yards.
Adel Taarabt proved to be QPR's most lively performer. The Moroccan dazzled the Potters defence with his trickery and also stung Thomas Sorensen's palms with a powerful 25-yard free-kick.
Crouch got on the end of Rory Delap's long throw but Rangers' defence scrambled clear.
The home crowd urged their team on after news of Martin Petrov's opener for Bolton filtered through to Loftus Road, but they failed to respond.
The scrappy play from both teams continued and Barton's weak curler was the only other effort of note inside the first 35 minutes.
Bobby Zamora dispossessed Upson, charged down the right and crossed perfectly for Barton but he nodded straight at Sorensen.
Stoke almost grabbed the lead on two occasions just after the break. Crouch miscued a free header and Ricardo Fuller curled a wicked shot that flew just wide.
The home fans demanded Cisse's introduction and it came after 55 minutes at the expense of Akos Buzsaky.
There was little urgency about Rangers despite the fact they knew they had to win and the home crowd started to get nervous.
Barton threw himself into the path of Huth's volley as Stoke continued to threaten, but QPR earned a good opportunity in the 68th minute when Upson toppled Zamora on the edge of the box.
Taye Taiwo could only drive into the wall, however - his tame shot summing up the hosts' limp performance.
At the other end Paddy Kenny punched the ball away to deny Fuller a free header from eight yards.
The away fans sang "2-0 Bolton, 2-0 Bolton" as it emerged the Trotters had added a second and QPR almost responded to the taunt by taking the lead.
Taiwo crossed brilliantly for Cisse, but Sorensen scrambled across his goal-line to deny the Frenchman.
Hughes threw on Jay Bothroyd and Shaun Wright-Phillips at the death to add some extra impetus and the move worked.
Wright-Phillips' shot deflected wide, leading to a QPR corner. Taarabt's cross was nodded on by Ferdinand and up popped Cisse to stab home from close range to send the home crowd into ecstasy.
Crouch missed a chance to grab an equaliser in the four minutes of added time as QPR held on for a valuable win which was followed by a huge pitch invasion.
News of two late goals at Bolton lifted spirits further and the players came back on to the pitch after the final whistle to salute their jubilant and relieved support.
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