MX23RW : Tuesday, April 23 11:08:01| >> :600:225035:225035:
[monks data]
QPR logo
Premier League
Sep 20, 2014 at 12.45pm UK
 
Stoke logo

2-2

Caulker (42'), Kranjcar (88')
FT(HT: 1-1)
Biram Diouf (11'), Crouch (51')

Match Analysis: Queens Park Rangers 2-2 Stoke City

Sports Mole takes a closer look at QPR's 2-2 draw at home to Stoke in the Premier League.

Queens Park Rangers fought back twice on Saturday to earn a 2-2 draw at home to Stoke City in the Premier League.

Mame Biram Diouf headed the visitors in front on 10 minutes before a Charlie Adam own goal levelled the match at half time.

Peter Crouch struck to give Stoke the lead once more at the start of the second half, but a stunning free kick from Niko Kranjcar two minutes from time earned QPR a share of the spoils.

Here, Sports Mole takes a closer look at the action between the two teams at Loftus Road.

Match statistics

QPR
Shots: 21
On target: 5
Possession: 53%
Corners: 10
Fouls: 6

Stoke
Shots: 8
On target: 4
Possession: 47%
Corners: 1
Fouls: 15

Was the result fair?

The stats will tell you that QPR deserved to come away with the three points, but Stoke were minutes away from securing a second away win of the season. Despite the best efforts of both teams, the hosts will be disappointed not to have converted more of their chances and earned the victory.

QPR's performance

The hosts were far from polished, though manager Harry Redknapp can have no complaints with their enthusiasm, energy and persistence. QPR took the game to Stoke and refused to shrink when they went behind at the start of the first half and the beginning of the second. Their attacking play was often one-dimensional, but they kept at it and were rewarded in the end. While his side's willingness to push forward will provide him with encouragement, Redknapp still has a lot of work to do from a defensive point of view. The R's were caught out by the counter-attacking style of Stoke on numerous occasions and were lucky not to have conceded more.

Stoke's performance

This was classic Stoke away from home in that they allowed QPR onto them and counter-attacked when they had the chance. There were impressive displays at the back from the likes of Ryan Shawcross and Erik Pieters, but a moment of magic from Niko Kranjcar ultimately proved to be their undoing. Up front, the Potters broke with plenty of pace and menace as Victor Moses, Mame Biram Diouf and Peter Crouch all linked well. However, Stoke never really got out of second gear on a frustrating afternoon in West London. Despite coming away from Loftus Road with a point, manager Mark Hughes will be bitterly disappointed that his side could not hold on for what would have been a valuable victory.

Sports Mole's man of the match

Victor Moses: The Nigerian international was a constant threat for Stoke, embracing their counter-attacking style with his pace and skill. Moses gave Mauricio Isla a torrid time down the left flank and played an important part in setting up the away team's second goal.

Biggest gaffe

As mentioned above, Mauricio Isla endured a difficult afternoon at right-back for QPR. His most disappointing moment came at the start of the second half when he was dispossessed down on the touchline by Moses, who went on to set up Crouch for Stoke's second goal. The Chilean's defending was poor in that instance as his lack of experience in the Premier League was exposed.

Referee performance

Martin Atkinson had a poor afternoon as a number of bad decisions hampered what was an otherwise enjoyable game. A key moment saw him book Ryan Shawcross for a reckless foul on Niko Kranjcar. Other referees may have brandished a red card, but Atkinson settled for the more lenient outcome.

What next?

QPR: The R's return to action next Saturday when they travel to Southampton in the Premier League.

Stoke: The Potters continue their League Cup campaign on Tuesday with a trip to Sunderland in the third round.

ID:177767: cacheID:177767:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:6399:No Data Analysis info
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Niko Kranjcar of QPR celebrates scoring with a free kick during the Barclays Premier League match between Queens Park Rangers and Stoke City at Loftus Road on September 20, 2014
Read Next:
Late Kranjcar strike secures draw for QPR
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Leicester CityLeicester432941081394291
2Leeds UnitedLeeds44279880374390
3Ipswich TownIpswich432611685533289
4Southampton43259985562984
5West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom4420121267442372
6Norwich CityNorwich442191477611672
7Hull City431812136254866
8Coventry CityCoventry4217121366521463
9Middlesbrough44189176460463
10Preston North EndPreston44189175661-563
11Cardiff CityCardiff44195205061-1162
12Bristol City441611175147459
13Sunderland44168205251156
14Swansea CitySwansea441511185762-556
15Watford441217155958153
16Millwall441411194355-1253
17Stoke CityStoke441311204460-1650
18Queens Park RangersQPR441311204157-1650
19Blackburn RoversBlackburn441310215874-1649
20Plymouth ArgylePlymouth441212205869-1148
21Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds44138233968-2947
22Birmingham CityBirmingham441210224864-1646
23Huddersfield TownHuddersfield44917184774-2744
RRotherham UnitedRotherham44412283285-5324


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!