After Kenneth Paal equalized five minutes into stoppage time to rescue a point for QPR in a 1-1 draw with fellow struggling team Huddersfield, Darren Moore conceded it was “two points dropped.”
With Jack Rudoni’s goal in the 86th minute, third-place Rangers appeared to be six points behind the Terriers, who were the side directly above them in the Sky Bet Championship standings.
However, in the closing moments, Paal, the left-back, kneeled Ilias Chair’s right-wing cross into the top corner of the net, helping to avert a potentially devastating home loss.
With a victory, QPR would have leapfrogged Huddersfield and left the relegation zone, where they have been since September. The tie keeps the difference at three points.
The tie was Town’s 13th league game of the season; they had only won one of their last 11 games.
However, manager Moore expressed disappointment with the outcome, saying, “To not come away with the points.”
The fact that it’s another strong performance is a plus. We’ve reached a challenging point and have strong long-term influence over the game.
I believe the boys set up their stall today. You have to come here and do that. We firmly believed that we ought to have received all three points.
“We definitely feel it’s two points dropped when you lose a goal that late in the game, especially when you’ve dominated significant portions of it,” the player said.
“I’ve told the players that we need to keep working hard and have faith that those three points are within reach.
“I firmly believe that obtaining the three points will serve as a catalyst for our performances, self-assurance, and fans’ encouragement to keep pushing and progressing.”
“We’re closer to winning than we are to turning draws into victories.”
Despite a chaotic first half, neither team was able to muster many clear-cut opportunities, though Chair and young striker Sinclair Armstrong appeared dangerous for Rangers.
Playmaker Chair saw a feeble shot from the left side thrown in a deftly placed corner by goalkeeper Lee Nicholls, but no one was able to add a finishing touch. In the meantime, Armstrong had a troublesome first forty-five minutes for the hosts, shooting high and wide from a sharp angle.
On the opposite end, Jake Clarke-Salter blocked Rhys Healey’s shot after Rudoni’s excellent work on the right, and Healey headed over a free-kick from Sorba Thomas.
After the break, QPR manager Marti Cifuentes probably expected an improvement, but it never came.
On the other hand, Huddersfield appeared to be the more proficient team, controlling the majority of the play and nearly scoring when Michal Helik headed just over from Thomas’ left wing corner.
Additionally, they ended the tie when Rudoni scored past goalkeeper Asmir Begovic after Rangers mishandled a free kick.
“To be able, on a day like today, when many things didn’t go well, to pick up a point, I think is a step to the next level and in the right direction,” stated Marti Cifuentes, the boss of QPR.
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