Report | Swansea City 0 Queens Park Rangers 1
Ten-man Swansea City fell to defeat as Rumarn Burrell’s early goal gave QPR the three points and the hosts played the majority of the contest a player down following Malick Yalcouye’s first-half dismissal.
Burrell netted what proved to be the winner in the 18th minute, turning a cross into the far corner of the net just moments after Lawrence Vigouroux had superbly denied Nicolas Madsen.
The home side’s chances to replying were dealt a blow when Yalcouye saw red after a clash with Steve Cook in the 35th minute.
Alan Sheehan’s side stuck at their task but were unable to find a reply, with substitute Zan Vipotnik agonisingly close to converting from close range in the final minute of the 90, before having a point-blank header saved.
The Swans showed three changes from the draw at Southampton as Malick Yalcouye, Jisung Eom and Adam Idah came into the side and Josh Key, Ronald and Zan Vipotnik dropped to the bench.
The hosts made a nervy start and QPR had the encouragement of getting some early touches in and around the home side’s penalty area.
Swansea’s best passage early on saw Goncalo Franco bring down an accurate pass into the channel and quickly move the ball onto Yalcouye, but the midfielder’s tough was just too heavy to take the ball into his stride and QPR were able to sweep up.
At the other end, Richard Kone headed a Nicolas Madsen cross onto the roof of the net before Lawrence Vigouroux made a tremendous instinctive block after a half-cleared Koki Saito cross had allowed Madsen to fire a rasping drive goalwards.
But he could not prevent Burrell opening the scoring a few moments later. Rangers got into space down the Swansea right and Isaac Hayden had the composure to pick out his teammate who cushioned the ball into the far corner of the net.
The Swans had half-hearted appeals for a penalty turned away just before the half hour when Eom went to ground under pressure from Jimmy Dunne.
Swansea were starting to enjoy periods of concerted pressure and regularly delivered into the box without being able to find waiting or arriving white shirts.
And home frustrations only grew when Yalcouye saw red seconds in the aftermath of another Swansea appeal for a penalty.
The on-loan Brighton midfielder went down in the area but as play continued, he and Steve Cook clashed and Yalcouye was dismissed for violent conduct.
It left the hosts facing an uphill struggle against a side enjoying an excellent run of form on their travels, and they trailed at the break.
Sheehan sent on Key for Franco and Ronald for Inoussa at the start of the second half but the first opening went the way of the visitors with Saito embarking on a run across the Swansea box that ended with his shot being blocked.
Marko Stamenic headed a Josh Tymon corner over the bar after arriving at the near post, while QPR keeper Paul Nardi unconvincingly punched a Tymon cross out into his own area but got away with it as the ball fell kindly for the visitors.
Those moments lifted the crowd and Swansea, despite the numerical disadvantage, began to ask questions of the QPR defence.
Ronald had a shot blocked after excellent hold up work from Idah, and then had an another effort denied after a purposeful carry and pass from Galbraith.
Into the final 20 minutes and Swansea continued to battle gamely, with Ben Cabango doing well to cut out an attempted backheel from Ilias Chair that would have given Kone a clear sight of goal six yards out.
Chair then had a shot blocked from Saito’s cutback, with Vigouroux saving a Cook header from the resulting corner.
Rangers then missed two gilt-edged chances to put the game to bed. Jimmy Dunne struck the post after a lung-bursting run and Jonathan Varane struck the rebound well wide.
But they were able to see out the final minutes to claim all three points, with Vipotnik just unable to convert a pair of last-gasp chances.
Swansea City: Lawrence Vigouroux, Ben Cabango (captain), Marko Stamenic (Melker Widell 82), Malick Yalcouye, Jisung Eom (Liam Cullen 73), Josh Tymon, Cameron Burgess, Goncalo Franco (Josh Key 46), Zeidane Inoussa (Ronald 46), Ethan Galbraith, Adam Idah (Zan Vipotnik 82).
Unused Substitutes: Andy Fisher, Jay Fulton, Ishe Samuels-Smith, Kaelan Casey.
Queens Park Rangers: Paul Nardi, Jimmy Dunne (captain), Steve Cook, Sam Field, Paul Smyth (Karamoko Dembele 60), Koki Saito, Isaac Hayden (Jonathan Varane 71), Rumarn Burrell (Ilias Chair 71), Richard Kone (Michael Frey 88), Nicolas Madsen, Amadou Mbengue.
Unused Substitutes: Ben Hamer, Liam Morrison, Rhys Norrington-Davies, Harvey Vale, Kieran Morgan.
Referee: John Busby
Attendance: 14,254