Granero Shines
While rest of team cast in shadow
Oct. 24th/'12
Coming into this match, QPR were the clear favorites. Yet again, they found a way to put themselves behind the eight ball, and yet again, managed to be outplayed for 90 minutes yet still weasel their way to a result.
The first half saw most of the possession with Southampton in QPR's half, yet no goals, mostly due to Julio Cesar's spectacular performance in the QPR goal.
Adam Lallana got the visitors deservedly on the scoreboard in the 55th minute, when he blasted a powerful header seemingly straight through the hands of Julio Cesar, and the Loftus Road crowd inhaled with the sour taste of another coming poor result in their mouths.
Esteban Granero drew the hosts level in the 60th minute, when he made a spectacular run, 360'd around Nathaniel Clyne, and curved a shot right inside the far post, around a diving Alvarez, to tie the match at 1.
Southampton pressed in the final half hour, but couldn't score.
Julio Cesar made a spectacular save in tight on Rickie Lambert in the 87th minute, denying him a sure goal with an excellent diving parry.
Super sub Shaun Wright-Phillips came on in the 91st minute for QPR, and he made an immediate impact, running onto a long pass from Stephane M'Bia, he sprinted past the speedy Nathaniel Clyne and crossed a ball into the middle, where Granero controlled the ball, spun, and beat Alvarez with an absolute cracker into the top corner of the goal.
A crazy finish, and yet again, QPR manage to snag more points than they should.
Next up for the Loftus Road boys is a difficult match away at the Emirates Stadium against an in-form Arsenal, which will be QPR's third match in six days.
"It's a little bit crazy, the schedule they've given us, but we're making the best of it, even today, sure the boys gave the supporters a couple heart attack, but hey, we got the three points, and at the end of the day, that's the goal before every match," beamed an ecstatic, almost mirthful manager Verde post-game.