Queens Park Rangers 0-0 Bolton: Trotters battle to point at QPR
Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship match between Queens Park Rangers and Bolton Wanderers at Loftus Road on Saturday; Julien Stephan's QPR side fail to find breakthrough in goalless draw.
Saturday 22 August 2026 18:39, UK
QPR's Richard Kone missed several chances in a goalless draw with Bolton at Loftus Road.
Kone, left out for last weekend's win at Portsmouth, was restored to the Rangers side but had an afternoon to forget.
He had four clear-cut opportunities during a first half largely dominated by the hosts, who will certainly regard the stalemate as two points dropped.
After being teed up by Ilias Chair, Kone had a weak shot held by keeper Jack Bonham, who soon afterwards denied the striker at close range after good work on the left by Koki Saito.
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Kone was then put through on goal by Harvey Vale, but again was unable to find a way past Bonham, who was in inspired form - he also tipped over an early strike from Vale.
And when Bolton were unable to clear their lines and Ronnie Edwards pulled the ball back from the right-hand touchline, Kone could not apply the finish.
QPR continued to dominate after the interval and appealed in vain for a penalty when Saito, having cleverly evaded two challenges, was upended by Josh Sheehan.
The chances kept coming, with Kone nodding the ball towards Vale, who could only head straight at Bonham.
Kone's final chance came just after the hour mark via a low cross from the right by Amadou Mbengue, but again Bonham saved.
That prompted Rangers head coach Julien Stephan to make a quadruple substitution, replacing Kone with Rumarn Burrell and sending on fit-again midfielder Nicolas Madsen along with recent signings Tariq Lamptey and Dennis Cirkin, who made their debuts.
But the home side, for all their pressure and possession, were unable to create further openings until Bonham again came to the visitors' rescue in stoppage time, this time spreading himself to deny Paul Smyth at point-blank range.
Smyth then threatened again, darting in from the left before being thwarted by Lewis Brunt's well-timed challenge as the R's attacker shaped to shoot.
For promoted Wanderers, who beat Preston last time out, four points from their first two matches of the season represents an encouraging start in the Championship.
They rode their luck at times, and could easily have been two or more goals down by half-time, but they battled hard and always looked to threaten on the counter-attack.
QPR also have four points but will be deeply frustrated not to have followed up their opening-day victory at Pompey with another win.
The managers
QPR's Julien Stephan:
"We did a great game. I'm very satisfied with the way we play and the way the players want to be an exciting team on the pitch.
"I enjoyed that and I'm really, really convinced that in the mid to long term, if we continue to play like this and continue to be brave, and continue to be dominant, that we will have a lot of wins.
"Probably the next step with this team is to be able to win this type of game. I think we are in a very good direction."
Bolton's Steven Schumacher:
"Any successful team has got to have that, because there are going to be days you don't play brilliant attacking football and the opposition get the better of you.
"On those days, if you can get a goalie that saves you every now and again, it gives you a chance to pick up points.
"So I'm really pleased for Jack. He's had a good day and we've said that to him in the dressing room. I don't like singling out players but he's a huge reason we've got a point."
