QPR 0-0 Swansea: Hosts’ four-game winning streak comes to an end in stalemate against 10-man Swans

QPR 0-0 Swansea: Hosts stumble in push for the Premier League as Swans forward Michael Obafemi has late strike ruled out for offside before Flynn Downes sees red following tangle with Charlie Austin

  • QPR extended their unbeaten run to sixth games in all competitions 
  • Luke Amos struck the woodwork in the second-half for the home side
  • Michael Obafemi nipped in to slot home only to see the flag raised for offside
  • Swansea ended the contest with 10 men after Flynn Downes was sent off


Late winners have become a Queens Park Rangers trademark in recent weeks as their Premier League promotion push gathers real momentum.

On this occasion, despite plenty of perspiration, they just couldn’t find that moment of magic to break down stubborn Swansea.

Mark Warburton’s side didn’t quite do enough to clamber above Bournemouth and into third position in the Championship but extended their unbeaten run to a sixth game in all competitions.

QPR striker Charlie Austin directed a close-range header straight at the Swansea keeper

MATCH FACTS

Queens Park Rangers (3-4-2-1): Marshall; Dickie, Dunne, Barbet; Odubajo, Johansen (c), Field, Wallace (Adomah 60); Willock (Thomas 82), Amos (Dykes 61); Austin

Substitutes not used: Walsh (GK); De Wijs, Ball, Dozzell

Manager: Mark Warburton

Booked: Odubajo, Johansen, Austin

Swansea City (3-4-2-1): Hamer; Cabango, Naughton, Manning; Christie, Downes, Grimes (c), Latibeaudiere; Smith, Wolf (Fulton 66); Piroe (Obafemi 66)

Substitutes not used: Fisher (GK); Bennett, Joseph, Walsh, Abdulai

Manager: Russell Martin

Booked: Smith, Cabango, Downes, Obafemi

Sent off: Downes 90+1

Referee: Andy Davies (Hampshire)

Attendance: 12,770 (818 away)

They came closest when Luke Amos struck the woodwork in the second-half but hardly peppered the Swansea goal and there could be few complaints with the stalemate.

The Welsh side are 17th but have games in hand on almost everybody above them because of Covid postponements.

Russell Martin is clearly trying to get Swansea playing in an attractive fashion and you can’t rule them out of a late play-off surge if they can string some wins together.

They ended the contest with 10 men after Flynn Downes was shown a second yellow card for a skirmish with Charlie Austin in stoppage time.

Swansea midfielder Flynn Downes was booked after a first-half tussle with Austin

Swansea midfielder Flynn Downes was booked after a first-half tussle with Austin

Downes was sent off following another tussle with Austin in stoppage time

Downes was sent off following another tussle with Austin in stoppage time

A dreary first-half tested supporter dedication on a chilly January night. QPR tried to manoeuvre the ball into wide areas and Moses Odubajo saw plenty of it on the right flank without producing a decent cross.

Some of Swansea’s passing moves were neat and tidy but the killer pass so often evaded them when in the orbit of the Rangers box.

The first chance of note took 26 minutes to materialise and Chris Willock’s bobbler was light work for Swansea keeper Ben Hamer.

QPR midfielder Stefan Johansen (right) battles for the ball with Swansea's Matt Grimes

QPR midfielder Stefan Johansen (right) battles for the ball with Swansea’s Matt Grimes

Willock did far better when permitted crossing space on the left a few minutes later. His whipped delivery was inch-perfect for Austin but the usually reliable marksman guided his header straight at Hamer from point-blank range.

Austin was relieved in the circumstances to see the offside flag go up but television replays showed the linesman was incorrect in his judgement. Not that it mattered as Austin couldn’t convert anyway.

Swansea started the second-half with intent and David Marshall was troubled for the first time to touch Joel Piroe’s shot around the post.

The game finally came to life and down the other end, Amos strolled through the Swansea defence on the right but saw his effort agonisingly come back off the inside of the far post.

QPR midfielder Luke Amos (right) takes on Swansea City midfielder Hannes Wolf

QPR midfielder Luke Amos (right) takes on Swansea City midfielder Hannes Wolf

Warburton threw on Albert Adomah and Lyndon Dykes in an effort to force a breakthrough and Hamer made a fine save to deny Dykes in the closing minutes.

And Swansea momentarily thought they’d snatched it when Michael Obafemi nipped in to slot home only to glance around and see the flag raised for offside.

There was still time for Swansea’s Flynn Downes to receive a second yellow card in stoppage time for an off the ball tangle with Austin.



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