Football Review | QPR 1 - 2 Millwall

Millwall stunned QPR in an entertaining Championship match

This handed Julien Stéphan his first home defeat as Rangers manager as their opposition moved into the Championship play-off places.

Author | Paul Jones

Stadium | Loftus Road

View from behind the goal.

QPR began brightly, looking to extend their six-match unbeaten run, but Alex Neil’s visitors took control late in the first half. Femi Azeez opened the scoring after 36 minutes before Mihailo Ivanovic’s header in stoppage time doubled Millwall’s advantage.

Substitute Rumarn Burrell pulled one back for QPR late on, but the visitors held firm through a tense finale to preserve their impressive away record. Neil, operating on a modest budget, has quietly turned the Lions into serious promotion contenders, with his side conceding only four goals on their travels this season.

A closer analysis of what happened

Goalkeeper Max Crocombe, making his league debut after joining from Burton Albion in the summer, was called into action immediately, saving sharply from Paul Smyth’s volley in the opening seconds. Smyth went close again moments later, clipping the bar with a curling effort.

At the other end, QPR keeper Paul Nardi denied Will Smallbone with an excellent fingertip save, but Millwall struck twice before the break to turn the contest around. Billy Mitchell’s incisive through ball found Azeez, who finished at the second attempt after Nardi’s initial block, before Ivanovic nodded home from Azeez’s cross in added time.

QPR struggled to break down a disciplined Millwall defence after the interval. Hopes of a late comeback were briefly lifted when Koki Saito teed up Burrell to make it 2-1 five minutes from time, but the forward spurned a golden chance in stoppage time, heading over from close range as Millwall escaped with the points.

Which players did well for QPR in defeat?

Paul Nardi | Made an excellent save to push over a first-half effort from Will Smallbone.

Rhys Norrington-Davies | Worked tirelessly on the left but struggled to make an impact in attack, unlike Millwall’s Femi Azeez on the opposite wing.

Paul Smyth | Lively down the left and caused problems, but failed to make the most of a couple of good scoring opportunities.