Premier League: QPR v Everton full-time report

Steven Pienaar

QPR 1 Everton 1

Queens Park Rangers’ search for a first victory in the Premier League this season goes on after they couldn’t break down Everton despite the visitors playing the last 30 minutes with ten-men.

An early strike from Junior Hoilett was cancelled out by a Julio Cesar own-goal before Steven Pienaar was harshly dismissed for two yellow cards on the hour for the visitors.

Despite only sharing the spoils against a side that had ten-men for the remaining half hour, this was a marked improvement from Mark Hughes’ men, who created more than enough chances in the closing stages to deserve a better reward then a just the solitarily point. Unfortunately for the R’s, they found Everton centre-back pairing Distan and Phil Jagielka in fine form as they revelled in the scrappy, rain-soaked, nature of the competitive tie.

Rangers have conceded more goals than any other Premier League team in the opening 15 minutes of games, but started faster here, taking the lead inside 90 seconds. Phil Neville was outmuscled in midfield, which presented Hoilett with a chance to attack from inside in his own half. He travelled over 50 yards before his deflected shot off the boot of Leighton Baines wrong-footed Tim Howard in the Everton goal.

You sensed inside the stadium the fans felt that this could have been the lucky break to kick-start their team’s season, but from then-on in the first-half QPR rarely threatened. Saying that, Everton were struggling to find their form going forward too, and only had a Nikica Jelavic 20-yard free-kick which was palmed away by César to show for their efforts.

The equaliser did come a little out of the blue, but the source of the goal was hardly surprising. Everton, notoriously strong from set-pieces, were keen to exploit’s QPR’s weakness in that department and got their reward on 32 minutes when Distan’s header from a Pienaar set-piece squirmed into the net via the post and the flaying body of Cesar. Another awfully defended goal for QPR to work on during the week.

The goal sprung Everton and manager David Moyes into life as he bounded down the touchline to berate the referee for not awarding his side a clear penalty following a foul on Nikica Jelavic just minutes after the goal. Rangers then went to sleep again from the resulting corner allowing Phil Jagielka a free-header from four yards out, which thumped the crossbar.

The England-international centre-back was called into action early in the second-half, this time in his own box as he bravely denied Park Ji-Sung a tap in from five yards with a sensational last-ditch block.

The complexion of a very tight affair was changed on 62 minutes when the Toffees were reduced to ten-men when Pienaar was, rather harshly, dismissed for a second yellow card after clashing with Jose Bosingwa. Replays suggested there was no contact.
Loftus Road expected their side to lay siege to the Everton backline but it was the visitors that came closest to scoring on 69 minutes.

Another set-piece wasn’t dealt with by Rangers and Distan header found his pal Jagielka whose header was brilliantly saved by Cesar from point blank range.

The tempo was then lifted by Rangers thereafter and the remaining 20 minutes was played in the Everton half. Hoilett wriggled free of the attentions of the Everton backline on 79 minutes but his well hit shot was palmed away by Howard. Esteben Granero could only fire high and wide from the rebound.

Hoilett, QPR’s main attacking threat on the day, again found space 25-yards from goal and sent a beauty of a long range effort that looked be set for the top corner but Howard yet again flung himself across to make a wonderful save.

Lewis Jones

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