Blackburn Rovers vs Queens Park Rangers. Sky Bet Championship.
Ewood ParkAttendance14,293.
Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash between Blackburn Rovers and QPR at Ewood Park as Reda Khadra's 77th-minute free-kick earned Tony Mowbray's team a 1-0 win on Saturday
Saturday 26 February 2022 18:20, UK
Blackburn ended a five-game winless streak and began to get their promotion push back on track with a slender 1-0 win over fellow contenders QPR.
Brighton loanee Reda Khadra - Rovers' main threat in a game where chances came at a premium - was the match-winner, breaking the deadlock with 13 minutes to play when he hit a dipping free-kick in from a tight angle.
Tony Mowbray's team move up to fourth as a result, four point behind second-placed Bournemouth, who have played three games fewer. QPR drop back into fifth, one point further behind, and three points above seventh-placed Sheffield United.
Without a victory, or even a goal to their name, since January 24 - no doubt largely owing to Ben Brereton Diaz's absence - Blackburn knew it was imperative to start well. They did, swarming onto QPR at every opportunity and greatly limiting their possession.
On the left, Khadra was the biggest threat for Rovers. The 20-year-old forward was sent through one-on-one and forced Rangers goalkeeper Seny Dieng into his first save of note after 15 minutes and delivered several crosses that were either saved or skidded past the far post.
Jimmy Dunne then slid in to snuff out another Khadra attack, before Bradley Johnson went close, but, out of nowhere, Rangers almost took the lead when Albert Adomah burst forward from defence and latched onto a gorgeous ball from Jeff Hendrick, with Thomas Kaminski alert to make a crucial save.
Having been caught on the leg by Sam Gallagher towards the end of the first half at Ewood Park, Dieng was replaced at the break by David Marshall, who was thrust straight into the action to push Khadra's shot away from the lurking Gallagher.
Blackburn's afternoon turned somewhat sour, too, when Ryan Nyambe was stretchered off after he landed awkwardly following a fair tackle from Jimmy Dunne.
But it got just that little bit sweeter with 77 minutes on the clock. Khadra stepped up to take a free-kick a few yards from the left-hand corner flag and hit a wonderful effort that looped over the stranded Marshall and over the line.
Blackburn's Tony Mowbray: "What a threat Khadra is to anybody, and yet can we sit here and criticise him for missing chances? Maybe, because if he wants to play in the Premier League for Brighton, he's got to take those chances. You must sit there and watch it and think: 'I wouldn't want to play against him'. He's so tricky, so fast and powerful, got a rocket in his right foot. Yet chances came and were missed, but it's a growth area for him.
"He's one of those lads who practice every day. If a session finishes at 12pm, Khadra is still out there at 12.45pm. He's a kid on a journey. I hope he's talented enough to get to the Premier League. I'm delighted for him. Today Khadra stepped up and scored the goal and could have had a few more. But I think we praise him for the positives rather than criticise him for the negatives of missing chances."
QPR's Mark Warburton: "I think we lacked an energy today. We looked a bit weary, a bit leggy. I said to the players it was my fault, I could have maybe freshened it up, but we trained well and the boys had a good camaraderie after Wednesday night.
"But a lot of effort was expended on Wednesday night and we didn't show the tempo required. We knew that Blackburn would come out, press high with real energy, and we had to match that as a bare basic, and I don't think we did."
Both teams are back in action on Saturday March 5. Blackburn travel to Craven Cottage to take on leaders Fulham at 12.30pm - live on Sky Sports Football - with QPR hosting Cardiff at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium at 3pm.
