Queens Park Rangers vs Reading. Sky Bet Championship.
Loftus Road StadiumAttendance2,000.
Report and highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash between QPR and Reading at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium as Michael Olise scored a fantastic late goal as Veljko Paunovic's Royals edged to victory.
Saturday 12 December 2020 18:32, UK
Michael Olise's stunning 89th-minute goal gave Reading a 1-0 win at QPR.
Olise, on as a substitute on his 19th birthday, picked up the ball near the edge of the penalty area and bent home a glorious left-footed strike for his third goal of the season.
Ilias Chair had gone closest to breaking the deadlock when he hit the woodwork with 13 minutes remaining.
And the miss proved costly as Olise's strike earned the Royals a victory that kept them a point off the automatic promotion places in the Championship.
QPR are now with just one win in their past eight matches - a run which has included five defeats - but they were at least able to welcome back their supporters to the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium for the first time since February, with a crowd of 2,000 in attendance.
Those home fans got a first chance to see Albert Adomah since his move during the summer.
Adomah, a QPR fan who had long expressed a desire to play for the club he supports, was brought on as a second-half substitute.
Both sides had chances during an even first half.
Chair had a right-footed shot saved by Rafael Cabral, while Osman Kakay was unable to get a decisive touch to Bright Osayi-Samuel's left-wing cross.
At the other end, Michael Morrison headed wide from Ovie Ejaria's left-wing corner and Sone Aluko shot wide after Chair had given the ball away.
Adomah caused Reading some initial problems on the right flank after being brought on but the visitors defended resolutely and always looked a threat on the counter-attack.
The R's struggled to create openings before Chair's near miss.
Chair latched onto a pass from Lyndon Dykes before curling a right-footed shot beyond Reading keeper Rafael Cabral and against the inside of the post.
Worryingly for Rangers, Osayi-Samuel picked up an injury in the build-up to Chair's strike and limped off.
And there was a further blow to come as Olise struck to deny the hosts a point.
QPR's Mark Warburton: "Sometimes you have these runs where it doesn't quite go your way and I think at the moment it's not going our way. In the first half I thought we looked a good team against a very good Reading team. We didn't feel threatened.
"We've lacked a little bit of quality, maybe, on the final ball or final cross. It's frustrating. I could sit here and bemoan the fine margins of the game, but the fact is it reads 1-0 Reading."
Reading's Veljko Paunovic: "He [Michael Olise] is on the verge of becoming a fantastic player but I will always encourage him and not put in jeopardy his development - because I believe he still needs to develop. Michael is young and a very special talent. We are aware that we have a very talented player.
"Our job is to keep his feet on the ground and keep giving him what he needs to develop. The most important thing is that everyone has played for the team, including Michael, and he has delivered for the club and fans with that fantastic strike.
"We have played well in the last five games. We are looking to get consistency in our game. Today's win helps us create another momentum and we are looking to move forward. It's nice to have a team and a group who work together with an amazing spirit and fight and play every game until the end."
