Vrancic inspires Stoke to halt QPR’S scoring run of 31 games
Championship By Ivan Speck at Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium
One of the more remarkable Championship runs came to an end as Stoke City produced an impressively clinical performance to beat fellow promotion contenders Queens Park Rangers.
Goals from Tyrese Campbell and the inventive Mario Vrancic lifted Stoke back into the play-off places, but it was at the other end where Rangers’ record of scoring in 31 consecutive league matches was halted.
For that, Michael O’neill’s side were grateful to goalkeeper Adam Davies, who saved a tame Charlie Austin penalty just after the hour that summed up the difference between the teams.
Davies had denied Austin with an even more spectacular save just after half-time when he threw himself to his left and flicked out a hand to tip the striker’s rasping, rising shot over the bar.
The Stoke keeper also denied each of QPR’S three substitutes, George Thomas, Luke Amos and Andre Gray, in the final 10 minutes, but this was far from a rearguard victory by the visitors.
Mark Warburton, the Rangers manager, said: “The save their keeper made from Charlie just after half-time was wonderful. Their keeper had a very good day, but I felt we lacked a little bit of real guile in the final third. Charlie missed the penalty, but everybody’s human.”
By contrast, O’neill was able to reflect on a display of movement and style on the counter-attack by his side. Their opening goal was an example of that, as Vrancic slid a great pass through the home defence perfectly into the stride of Campbell, who stroked it into the corner without hesitation.
Vrancic was the game’s central figure. It was his wrestling hold on Yoann Barbet that conceded the penalty, before he sealed Stoke’s first win in London since 2014. Collecting the ball in midfield, the Bosnian strolled into space before placing his low shot into the corner.
O’neill said: “Mario sees passes that other players don’t always see. I thought his goal was brilliant, because he just guided it into the bottom corner. I just maybe need to reallocate jobs at corners, because he gave away the penalty today.”
Queens Park Rangers (3-4-2-1) Dieng; Dickie, Dunne, Barbet; Kakay, Johansen, Dozzell (Amos 67), Field (Thomas 80); Willock, Chair; Austin (Gray 74).
Subs Archer (g), Duke-mckenna, Ball.
Stoke City (5-3-2) Davies; Smith, Wilmot, Batth, Fox, Tymon; Sawyers (Clucas 56), Allen, Vrancic; Campbell (Brown 67), Fletcher (Ince 90). Subs Bonham (g), Chester, Sima, Doughty. Booked Fox.
Tony Harrington (Durham).