Post by Macmoish on Jul 27, 2011 21:47:05 GMT
QPR Official Site
CESENA 1, QPR 0
Posted on: Wed 27 Jul 2011
QPR succumbed to their first defeat of pre-season at the hands of Serie A side Cesena.
A late goal from Bogdani gave the Italians a narrow 1-0 victory, in a good pre-season test for Neil Warnock's men.
An entertaining affair for long spells, Rangers probably did enough to at least warrant a share of the spoils, but the result will mean little to Warnock and co, with the main plus points another injury-free evening, as the clock ticks down to our Barclays Premier League opener against Bolton Wanderers in 17 days time.
Warnock named a strong side for the R's first pre-season fixture on Italian soil, with Danny Gabbidon handed his first start and Jay Bothroyd leading the line.
Paddy Kenny lined up in goal, behind a back four comprising of Bradley Orr, Clint Hill, Gabbidon and a trialist.
Alejandro Faurlin and Shaun Derry occupied the two holding midfield berths, with Tommy Smith, Hogan Ephraim and skipper Adel Taarabt providing support for lone front-man Bothroyd.
It took just three minutes for Taarabt to show glimpses of the type of form that made him the stand-out player in the npower Championship last season.
The R's skipper nutmegged two Cesena defenders with ease before firing a shot on target, which Antonioli did well to parry on the slippery surface.
At the other end, Mutu forced Kenny into a fine save, after the former Chelsea man let fly from distance.
Both sets of players were struggling to stay on their feet due to the inclement conditions, but Faurlin kept his composure on 20 minutes to get away a left footed half-volley that brought the best out of the Cesena custodian.
The R's back four, marshalled centrally by Gabbidon, were rarely tested as the half approached its halfway stage, with Mutu's early effort the only chance of note for the Serie A outfit.
Rangers had vocal appeals for a penalty waved away on 25 minutes, when Bothroyd - having held off his man on the edge of the six-yard box - appeared to be dragged back as he was poised to get his shot away.
Kenny had to be at his agile best to thwart Candreva from close range on 33 minutes, before - from the resultant corner - Comotto's fortuitous flick cannoned back off the upright.
Cesena front-man Candreva looked a threat whenever he was on the ball and when he created a yard of space five minutes before the break, Kenny was grateful to see the ball fizz inches wide of his right hand post.
It was Rangers who created the best chance of the half though on the stroke of half-time, when Orr's perfectly-weighted pass found Bothroyd, who shrugged off the attentions of his marker before firing a fierce left-footed strike on goal, that Antonioli did well to gather at the second attempt.
Seconds later, Taarabt cut in from the left flank, cut inside and fired inches over, as the half - which bizarrely only last 44 minutes - ended goalless.
Warnock rang the changes at the break, with Fitz Hall, Kieron Dyer and Patrick Agyemang all entering the fray for the second 45 minutes.
The second period took time to spring into action, with neither side forcing an opening in the opening quarter of an hour.
Dyer went close to breaking the deadlock around the hour mark, but Antonioli was quick off his line to smother.
Dyer soon turned provider, breaking up play on halfway before sending Taarabt through on goal. Faced one-on-one with Antonoili, the Moroccan attempted to chip the Cesena stopper, only to see his effort land on the top of the net.
Second half substitute Petter Vaagan-Moen's powerful left-footed strike forced Antonioli into a solid save at his feet on 70 minutes, moments before Matt Connolly replaced Gabbidon.
But it was the Italians who grabbed the opening goal of the game late on, when Bogdani evaded the R's offside trap and curled a fine finish beyond Kenny and into the roof of the net.
Rangers could've been level a few minutes later, but Hill's deft chip was hacked off the line.
Cesena: Antonioli, Comotto (Ceccarelli 75), Lauro (De Feudis 87), Colucci, Ricci, Rossi, Malongo (Cesar 56), Parolo, Candreva, Mutu (Bogdani 82), Giaccherini (Livaja 62).
Subs: Ravaglia, Gilnics, Cica, Riski.
Bookings: Rossi
Goals: Bogdani (84)
QPR: Kenny, Orr (Gorkss 77), Hill, Derry (Vaagan-Moen 63), Trialist (Hall 46), Gabbidon (Connolly 70), Taarabt, Smith (Dyer 46), Bothroyd (Agyemang 46), Ephraim (Buzsaky 74), Faurlin.
Subs: Trialist.
www.qpr.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10373~2403535,00.html
CESENA 1, QPR 0
Posted on: Wed 27 Jul 2011
QPR succumbed to their first defeat of pre-season at the hands of Serie A side Cesena.
A late goal from Bogdani gave the Italians a narrow 1-0 victory, in a good pre-season test for Neil Warnock's men.
An entertaining affair for long spells, Rangers probably did enough to at least warrant a share of the spoils, but the result will mean little to Warnock and co, with the main plus points another injury-free evening, as the clock ticks down to our Barclays Premier League opener against Bolton Wanderers in 17 days time.
Warnock named a strong side for the R's first pre-season fixture on Italian soil, with Danny Gabbidon handed his first start and Jay Bothroyd leading the line.
Paddy Kenny lined up in goal, behind a back four comprising of Bradley Orr, Clint Hill, Gabbidon and a trialist.
Alejandro Faurlin and Shaun Derry occupied the two holding midfield berths, with Tommy Smith, Hogan Ephraim and skipper Adel Taarabt providing support for lone front-man Bothroyd.
It took just three minutes for Taarabt to show glimpses of the type of form that made him the stand-out player in the npower Championship last season.
The R's skipper nutmegged two Cesena defenders with ease before firing a shot on target, which Antonioli did well to parry on the slippery surface.
At the other end, Mutu forced Kenny into a fine save, after the former Chelsea man let fly from distance.
Both sets of players were struggling to stay on their feet due to the inclement conditions, but Faurlin kept his composure on 20 minutes to get away a left footed half-volley that brought the best out of the Cesena custodian.
The R's back four, marshalled centrally by Gabbidon, were rarely tested as the half approached its halfway stage, with Mutu's early effort the only chance of note for the Serie A outfit.
Rangers had vocal appeals for a penalty waved away on 25 minutes, when Bothroyd - having held off his man on the edge of the six-yard box - appeared to be dragged back as he was poised to get his shot away.
Kenny had to be at his agile best to thwart Candreva from close range on 33 minutes, before - from the resultant corner - Comotto's fortuitous flick cannoned back off the upright.
Cesena front-man Candreva looked a threat whenever he was on the ball and when he created a yard of space five minutes before the break, Kenny was grateful to see the ball fizz inches wide of his right hand post.
It was Rangers who created the best chance of the half though on the stroke of half-time, when Orr's perfectly-weighted pass found Bothroyd, who shrugged off the attentions of his marker before firing a fierce left-footed strike on goal, that Antonioli did well to gather at the second attempt.
Seconds later, Taarabt cut in from the left flank, cut inside and fired inches over, as the half - which bizarrely only last 44 minutes - ended goalless.
Warnock rang the changes at the break, with Fitz Hall, Kieron Dyer and Patrick Agyemang all entering the fray for the second 45 minutes.
The second period took time to spring into action, with neither side forcing an opening in the opening quarter of an hour.
Dyer went close to breaking the deadlock around the hour mark, but Antonioli was quick off his line to smother.
Dyer soon turned provider, breaking up play on halfway before sending Taarabt through on goal. Faced one-on-one with Antonoili, the Moroccan attempted to chip the Cesena stopper, only to see his effort land on the top of the net.
Second half substitute Petter Vaagan-Moen's powerful left-footed strike forced Antonioli into a solid save at his feet on 70 minutes, moments before Matt Connolly replaced Gabbidon.
But it was the Italians who grabbed the opening goal of the game late on, when Bogdani evaded the R's offside trap and curled a fine finish beyond Kenny and into the roof of the net.
Rangers could've been level a few minutes later, but Hill's deft chip was hacked off the line.
Cesena: Antonioli, Comotto (Ceccarelli 75), Lauro (De Feudis 87), Colucci, Ricci, Rossi, Malongo (Cesar 56), Parolo, Candreva, Mutu (Bogdani 82), Giaccherini (Livaja 62).
Subs: Ravaglia, Gilnics, Cica, Riski.
Bookings: Rossi
Goals: Bogdani (84)
QPR: Kenny, Orr (Gorkss 77), Hill, Derry (Vaagan-Moen 63), Trialist (Hall 46), Gabbidon (Connolly 70), Taarabt, Smith (Dyer 46), Bothroyd (Agyemang 46), Ephraim (Buzsaky 74), Faurlin.
Subs: Trialist.
www.qpr.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10373~2403535,00.html
