Queens Park Rangers Secure Home Victory Against West Bromwich Albion
Rumarn Burrell's two goals propelled Queens Park Rangers to the edge of the play-off picture with a rare home victory over West Bromwich Albion.
The Rs achieved only their fourth win at Loftus Road in their last 15 matches, as Jonathan Varane and Burrell capitalized on some poor defending from the Baggies to take a two-goal lead within the first hour.
West Brom's in-form player, Aune Heggebo, scored a remarkable headed goal, igniting hopes for another comeback from Ryan Mason's side, who had previously rallied to beat Swansea City from two goals down last week.
However, those hopes were dashed when Burrell scored his eighth goal in the last ten games, ensuring that the visitors suffered their sixth consecutive away defeat, marking their worst streak since the winter of the 2021-22 season.
Despite the significance of the match for both teams in their pursuit of the top six, the first half was largely scrappy and disjointed, with few clear chances. The first notable opportunity resulted in the opening goal during the fourth minute of added time in the first half, when Varane found himself unmarked in the box and easily headed the ball past Joe Wildsmith, who was making his first league start of the season, from an excellent cross by Nicolas Madsen.
The goal signaled a more dynamic second half, but the home side appeared to have secured the points when a defensive blunder allowed Callum Styles to attempt a pass to Alex Mowatt in a precarious position near his own box. The midfielder's attempt to clear the ball hit Richard Kone and fell perfectly for Burrell, who slotted it into the far corner.
Both teams had opportunities to score in a thrilling exchange, with Rangers keeper Paul Nardi denying both Heggebo and George Campbell, the latter's weak effort being seized by Nardi, who launched a counterattack. In a moment of chaos, Burrell managed to intercept a miscommunication between Chris Mepham and Wildsmith, rounding the keeper but somehow shooting over the open goal.
Norwegian striker Heggebo then stole the spotlight with his sixth goal in five games, connecting with a cross from Mepham to head the ball into the far corner from the edge of the area. He later headed over as the Baggies pressed for an equalizer, but Julien Stephan's side sealed the victory with three minutes remaining. Kone easily beat Campbell at the by-line, and when Wildsmith could only parry his cross, Burrell was on hand to tap it into the empty net.
Reaction: 'Formula Isn't There'
West Brom head coach Ryan Mason spoke to BBC Radio WM:
"In the first half, we were far too passive, and conceding just before half-time was not ideal. However, we came out in the second half with more intent, bravery, energy, and quality. But we gifted them the second goal, which is unacceptable. We managed to get back into the game and were playing decently, but the third goal was incredibly disappointing as well. The formula isn't there at the moment away from home, that's for sure, and we need to work on that."
On Joe Wildsmith's start: "Josh [Griffiths] has been performing well. It's his first season at this level, which requires a different intensity, and Joe has trained well. We felt it was the right time to make a change in that position."