QPR shared a lively 2-2 draw with West Brom at Loftus Road on Wednesday evening, marking another positive result in their recent Championship campaign.
After a shaky start to the season led to Gareth Ainsworth’s dismissal in October, QPR has shown significant improvement under Marti Cifuentes.
Their unbeaten streak extended to four games, as they battled West Brom to a thrilling draw. Sam Field initially put QPR ahead after capitalizing on a mistake from Albion goalkeeper Alex Palmer. However, West Brom quickly turned the game around with goals from Mikey Johnston and Grady Diangana.
Despite Palmer’s penalty save from Michael Frey, controversy arose when Cedric Kipre’s handball was not penalized. QPR continued to press forward, eventually equalizing through Field’s second goal in the 81st minute.
“I’ve been told that West Brom played with two keepers for a while,” Cifuentes told the BBC.
“I’m not here to complain. I’m here to make sure my team is better, so if we need to play against two keepers then we need to practice playing against two keepers.
“Football is a game with mistakes and unfortunately refs can make mistakes as well. They have a very difficult job – the second most difficult job, after being a manager.
“On the pitch I thought their keeper made an amazing save – I mean the real keeper. That shows you how difficult the referee’s job is. I was shown it (on video) afterwards.”
Cifuentes expressed frustration over the penalty decision but acknowledged the challenges referees face. Despite the setback, he emphasized the need to focus on improvement.
Smyth, who returned to QPR this season after a successful spell with Leyton Orient, praised the team’s resilience in a social media post, reflecting the belief and unity fostered by Cifuentes.
With Middlesbrough up next, QPR aims to capitalize on their recent form under Cifuentes and secure three crucial points.
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