Stoke City 2-2 QPR: Angel Rangel double earns in-form Rangers a point
- Published
Right-back Angel Rangel had never previously scored for QPR in 14 games - but ended the afternoon with his first career double
Queens Park Rangers defender Angel Rangel opened the scoring, then hit a late equaliser as Steve McClaren's men maintained their fine recent Championship run with a point at Stoke.
After Rangel's seventh-minute header, Stoke equalised when Tom Ince's low left-wing cross was bundled home at the far post by Saido Berahino - his fourth goal of the season, but only his second in the league for the Potters.
Stoke could have been in front on 26 minutes but James McClean's glancing header from Bruno Martin Indi's left-wing corner hit the right upright.
The hosts did finally go in front on 62 minutes. with Ince the architect again, supplying a great pass for McClean, who set up Joe Allen's third league goal of the season.
But, straight after Ince had a goal disallowed for offside, Ebere Eze set up right-back Rangel for his 78th-minute leveller.
After coming off the bench, veteran striker Peter Crouch came close to winning it for Stoke in the 90th minute but his header was disallowed, again for offside.
A fourth draw in an unbeaten five-game run elevates Gary Rowett's Potters a place to 13th, but still with only three home league wins in nine attempts this season.
QPR, who climbed two places to eighth, have now lost just once in eight games. But they are four points off the play-offs, while Stoke are now eight points off sixth spot.
Saido Berahino reacted quickest to scramble home Stoke's close-range equaliser - only his second league goal for the Potters
Stoke boss Gary Rowett told BBC Radio Stoke:
"We made a slow start, in which we conceded. The right-back shouldn't score one goal, never mind two. We didn't do our jobs at all well and the player in question knows that.
"That first goal stung us into life and we came back well, hit the post and had two or three other opportunities. Then, from a fantastic pass by Tom Ince we got bodies in the box, and went 2-1 up after being a goal down. And, for 10 or 15 minutes, we looked in control and took the sting out of QPR.
"But we made another mistake, and let them back in again. Their right-back ran in behind. And it was thrown away in that one moment. We know we have to be better than that.
"We're close. We're not far away. There's frustration from everybody. We're not quite winning and we're not getting the breaks. But we can't afford to lose too much ground. We can't afford not to win games for long,"
QPR manager Steve McClaren:
"Angel Rangel has been nothing short of a revelation. And not just on the field, what a great lad off it.
"But I've got to say I don't know why he was in the box and heading the ball in because we told him to stay on the halfway line.
"We were excellent. This was a difficult place for us to come and a difficult game for us. Stoke have quality. The players and from the bench.
"Against the run of play, we conceded, which rocked us a bit. The response from the team was tremendous. We never stopped. And what pleased me most was the way we controlled the game."