Report: QPR 4 United 2
Manchester United gained some more valuable pre-season minutes but were unfortunately beaten 4-2 by Queens Park Rangers in the process of doing so.
The Reds did take the lead inside the opening three minutes through Jesse Lingard, but the hosts immediately responded via Charlie Austin, before going on to score three more times in the second-half courtesy of Lyndon Dykes (2) and Moses Odubajo.
Anthony Elanga reduced the deficit in the closing stages of a lively contest with the game's sixth goal, but it was the home side who ultimately claimed the spoils at the full-time whistle in West London.
FIRST HALF - LEVEL AT THE BREAK
Another week of pre-season preparations looked to have paid dividends inside the opening three minutes as United got off to a lightning-quick start. Fresh from his goal from the bench in last week’s victory at Derby, Facundo Pellistri turned provider, slipping in Jesse Lingard who placed the ball past Seny Dieng to give the Reds an early lead in West London.
Despite conceding early, our Championship opponents had also enjoyed a sharp start to the encounter and were clinical at the other end to ensure that the scores would be level again, less than two minutes later. Lee Wallace’s cross from the left found the head of an unmarked Charlie Austin, who nodded in from close range to make it 1-1.
After a breathless opening to the contest with the two attacks in full flow, some good good defensive work from both sides took centre stage, with clear-cut chances hard to come by in the remainder of the half. Both Tom Heaton, and his goalkeeping counterpart Seny Dieng, were kept busy in their respective goals however, before the whistle went for the interval after the break.
SECOND HALF - QPR TAKE CONTROL
Feeding off their home support, the Rs continued to grow in confidence with their solidity at the back sparking more free-flowing attacking play at the other end. Less than 10 minutes into the second period, Mark Warburton's side completed the turnaround to go ahead when Wallace cut Chris Willock's deflected shot back for half-time substitute Lyndon Dykes who saw his effort find the net with the help of a slight touch off the leg of Axel Tuanzebe.
That got the home crowd at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium off their seats and they were up again twice more moments later. First, a long-range effort from Odubajo found the top corner before Dykes was on target again to make it 4-1, with the home side scoring three times in the space of eight minutes.
Second-half substitute Elanga pulled one back for us in the closing stages as United rallied, but it was defeat on the day for the Reds come full-time at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium.
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MATCH DETAILS
QPR: Dieng (Walsh 46); De Wijs (Dunne 46), Dickie (Thomas 71) Barbet (Masterson 71); Odubajo (Kelman 71), Dozzell, Ball, Wallace (Kakay 71); Willock (Adomah 71), Austin (Dykes 46), Chair.
Goals: Austin 7, Dykes 52, 60, Odubajo 58.
United: Heaton (Grant 46); Wan-Bissaka (Galbraith 65), Mengi (Bernard 79), Tuanzebe (Fish 79), Williams (Hugill 79); Andreas (Levitt 65), Matic (c) (Garner 46); Pellistri (Mata 46), Lingard (Hannibal 65), James (Elanga 46); Greenwood (Shoretire 65).
Subs not used: Bishop.
Goals: Lingard 3, Elanga 73.