QPR Efforts Net Draw Against Villa

Eric Lichaj and David Hoilett do battle on the ball. (Getty Images)

Harry Redknapp's home debut as QPR manager was fairly positive in most regards.  About the only thing they failed to pull out was a result.  Rangers certainly looked much more confident in attack as well as possession, but in the end an early defensive miscue would cost them the chance at all three points at Loftus Road.

QPR came out of the opening whistle like a house on fire.  They moved the ball very well in the opening five minutes and backed Aston Villa, in their road green strip, down into their own end.  The unfortunate thing was that they could only manage one shot out of all the pressure, a distance effort from Adel Taarabt that was blocked in the 5th minute.

Villa finally got a touch of the ball after the opening storm and proceeded into the QPR half.  To their credit, they took their big chance when it came their way,  In the 8th minute Ashley Westwood found Brett Holman just outside of the penalty arc.  The Villa midfielder proceeded to blast a cannon shot at goal between Rob Green and his near post.  The former England man got his hands to it, but wasn't able to turn it away as the ball deflected off his hands and into the inside of the side netting to give the away side a 0-1 lead.

QPR responded well though, coping with the shock and going back on the attack a few minutes later.  In the 18th minute Samba Diakite found Jamie Mackie in the area with a spot on early cross.  Mackie got great contact on it and put it past Brad Guzan in goal to make it 1-1 just 10 minutes after Villa had taken the lead.

QPR would have two golden chances to take the lead later on in the half, both coming off of long balls.  In the 29th minute Shaun Wright Phillips got himself in the middle of a 1v1 situation with Brad Guzan but the Villa 'keeper stoned him cold with a great save.  Four minutes later Wright Phillips found himself in the same situation, this time beating Guzan but clanging his shot off the near post.

There was also a scary moment for QPR and their fans late on in the first half.   In the the 33rd minute Stephane M'bia collided with Gabriel Agbonlahor just outside the center circle and collapsed into a heap with an apparent head injury.  The physios rushed out to treat him, concentrating on his head and neck, which they braced before stretchering him off the field.  He was taken to a hospital, but apparently suffered no major damage.

The second half was largely a dull affair, but still QPR had a couple of quality chances to take the lead.  In the 58th minute former United man Ji-Sung Park found himself alone in the penalty area, but smacked his shot right at Guzan, who easily parried the blow.

Rangers would have two decent chances to win late on as well, but again Guzan was up to the task on both opportunities.  In the 80th minute Taarabt hit Chris Hill in the area and Hill directed a header to the top corner, but Guzan was able to neutralize it.  The American shined one more time in the 82nd minute, stopping a low shot from Armand Traore to preserve the 1-1 draw at full time.