Fulham promotion push checked as QPR fight back for deserved draw

Fulham 2 QPR 2: Pawel Wszolek’s late equaliser earned QPR just reward for their much-improved finish to the game after the Cottagers had led 2-0

QPR pegged Fulham back to earn a deserved share of the spoils (Getty)

At the end of this wintery west London Derby, Ian Holloway strode over to the jubilant QPR fans, punching the air with both fists. That had seemed an unlikely image for most of a first half in which Fulham took a commanding two-goal lead, through Tom Cairney and Lucas Piazon, but Mass Luongo’s reply just before the break created tension and Pawel Wszolek’s late equaliser was deserved reward for QPR’s second-half graft.

In the end Fulham were relieved to escape with a 2–2 draw and a new club record of 16 consecutive league games unbeaten. They have been the Championship’s best team so far in 2018, and ultimately this result probably won’t affect their likely play-off finish, but QPR did at least illustrate exactly how to unsettle Slavisa Jokanovic’s side.

QPR’s dogged second-half pressing tested Fulham’s unwavering commitment to playing out from the back, and it was via one of their many raids high up the pitch that Wszolek’s 81st-minute strike came about. Other Championship sides will surely have taken note that maximum disruption is the best policy against the league’s smoothest operators.

“We cannot be satisfied,” Jokanovic said afterwards. “I am not here to fight for records, I am here to win the games. After one unforced mistake they scored the second goal. They deserved that goal. Our solution cannot be to change the style, and we didn’t try to do that.”

Tom Cairney of Fulham celebrates scoring his side’s first goal (Getty)

The match began scrappily with Fulham taking ownership of the ball but struggling to carve out clear chances, to the frustration of an unusually flat Craven Cottage as snow swirled around the stadium.

That all changed just after half an hour, when the captain Cairney was allowed the freedom of Rangers’ half. He drifted in from the right side and dummied a shot to steal a few more yards, before drilling a low effort through the retreating defence and into the bottom corner.

The goal lifted the home fans and Fulham began the find their fluency, particularly down the left-hand side where Ryan Sessegnon and Matt Targett tangled QPR right-back Darnell Furlong in a web of one-twos – though it was down the right that Fulham’s second goal came.

QPR had looked dead and buried (Getty)

Ryan Fredericks dribbled to the byline and delivered a cutback to the penalty spot, where Sessegnon teed up the Chelsea loanee Piazon, who smashed the ball down the middle past the diving Alex Smithies in QPR’s goal.

At 2-0 and with half-time moments away, that should have been that. But QPR snatched one back from a set-piece when Matt Smith headed down for Luongo, who swivelled in the box before crashing home from eight yards.

The goal tempered the home crowd and set the tone for a nervy second half. QPR made the most of their foothold, pressuring high up the pitch and forcing Marcus Bettinelli into several saves including a crucial stop at the feet of Smith as the striker bore down on goal.

Tensions almost boiled over (Getty)

With 10 minutes remaining, Wszolek robbed a dawdling Denis Odoi and found himself through on goal – always a possible consequence of Fulham’s admirable commitment to playing expansively from the back. He steadied himself, before curling past the onrushing Bettinelli and charging towards the delirious visiting support.

With substitute Conor Washington on for the tiring Smith, QPR pushed for a winner but couldn’t create another clear sight of goal. Fulham let their frustration show in the final throes with the recently prolific Aleksandar Mitrovic at the heart of several late scraps off the ball, and in the end the final whistle was a welcome relief for the hosts on a day when QPR ruffled their rivals.