Queens Park Rangers extended their impressive early-season form by mounting a spirited comeback to defeat Blackburn Rovers 2-1 at Ewood Park, securing their second win in three Championship matches.
The contest began evenly, with both sides arriving at the fixture level on points. According to BBC's pre-match analysis, each team had recorded a win and a draw from their opening two league games, setting up a closely matched encounter between sides with identical records.
Rovers seized the initiative early in the second half when Ryoya Morishita produced a moment of genuine quality. After Andri Gudjohnsen's flick-on found him in space, Morishita controlled the ball and unleashed a spectacular left-foot volley from 20 yards that arrowed into the top corner with the goalkeeper helpless.
The lead lasted barely two minutes. Rumarn Burrell raced down the right flank and delivered a perfectly weighted low cross that found Paul Smyth at the near post, where the forward showed composure to guide his finish beyond Balazs Toth and level the match.
Blackburn's goalkeeper made a superb reflex save in the 53rd minute when he got down quickly to flick away Ryan Alebiosu's cross as Rovers threatened to regain their advantage. From that point onwards, however, the momentum shifted decisively in QPR's favour.
The visitors began to dominate proceedings, with Burrell glancing a header wide in the 64th minute before further opportunities arrived. Substitute Kwame Poku directed a left-wing cross from Burrell wide of the target, and Ronnie Edwards sent another powerful effort past the post as QPR pressed relentlessly.
Their persistence was rewarded in the 74th minute when the ball was recycled following a Blackburn clearance. Tariq Lamptey delivered a superb cross from the right that presented an inviting opportunity, and Jimmy Dunne powered a header home from close range to complete the turnaround.
Julian Stephan's side showed impressive character to recover from falling behind, and the victory leaves them with seven points from a possible nine, moving them into fourth place at this early stage of the campaign. Alfie Lloyd saw a late shot blocked as QPR eased to a second consecutive win at Ewood Park.
Blackburn's unbeaten run came to an end, and whilst Tony Mowbray's team could never be faulted for their effort and commitment, they simply lacked the depth of alternatives available from the bench compared to their opponents.
First-half chances go begging
The opening 45 minutes had been relatively balanced, with both teams creating opportunities without either side establishing clear control. Rovers carved out the first clear opening in the 21st minute when Ryan Alebiosu raided down the right flank. His cross was perfectly placed for Todd Cantwell at the back post, but the midfielder guided his free header over the bar.
The same two players combined nine minutes later to go even closer. Alebiosu's centre missed everybody in the middle, and Cantwell showed terrific technique by stepping back before unleashing an effort on the bounce that whistled just past the far post.
QPR should have taken the lead when Burrell slipped Ilias Chair in behind the Blackburn defence, only for Toth's outstretched left leg to deny the forward a clear sight of goal. Ronnie Edwards forced another fine save from Toth as the break approached, the goalkeeper going full-stretch to tip away a curling 20-yard shot that was destined for the bottom right corner.
Context and recent form
This fixture represented a significant test for both sides at a crucial stage of the season. According to ESPN's pre-match coverage, both Blackburn and QPR arrived with identical 1-1-0 records from their opening matches. QPR had recently drawn 0-0 with Bolton Wanderers, a match in which they dominated but failed to convert their chances, whilst Blackburn had beaten Middlesbrough 2-1 in their previous league outing.
The two clubs have a history of competitive encounters, with BBC's statistics noting that Blackburn won 3-1 away in their most recent Championship meeting last season, making this a chance for QPR to exact some revenge on their rivals.
What comes next
Both sides will now turn their attention to their next fixtures as the Championship season continues to unfold. The result leaves QPR in a strong position early in the campaign, whilst Blackburn will be keen to bounce back and return to winning ways after their unbeaten start came to an end at Ewood Park.
