Queens Park Rangers 1-2 Cardiff City: Dimitrios Goutas and Perry Ng earn Bluebirds victory
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Cardiff City had lost five of their past six away league visits to QPR
Cardiff City netted twice from corners to earn a 2-1 win at Queens Park Rangers.
Dimitrios Goutas put Cardiff ahead with his fourth goal of the campaign before Paul Smyth levelled in the second half.
But Perry Ng also scored his fourth of the season, finding the net in the 74th minute to earn the Bluebirds a rare victory at Loftus Road.
Cardiff sit three points adrift of the Championship play-off places in ninth while QPR stay 22nd.
Neither side ended 2023 in style, with QPR winless in five while Cardiff won just one of their final five games of the year.
As a result, it was perhaps understandable that goalmouth action was at a premium early on.
Nevertheless, the Bluebirds will have been satisfied with their start as they aimed to end their run of five consecutive league defeats in New Year's Day fixtures.
And the 1,305 travelling supporters were celebrating with 16 minutes on the clock as the contest produced its first effort on goal.
Goutas rose the highest and duly nodded Joe Ralls' inswinging corner into the bottom corner of Asmir Begovic's net.
The QPR faithful undoubtedly started fearing the worst having not seen their side bulge the net in their past three matches.
With the hosts desperately struggling to threaten, the QPR fans grew increasingly restless as Cardiff remained intent on inflicting further misery on the team who possessed the worst home record in the Championship.
Erol Bulut's men were willing to put their bodies on the line when needed, as evidenced when Ng was clattered while heading clear late in the opening half.
When Marti Cifuentes' side eventually worked themselves into a decent position, Kenneth Paal's poor effort was comfortably dealt with by Jak Alnwick which ensured the visitors led at the break.
Rayan Kolli replaced Ziyad Larkeche for the second half as QPR improved after the restart.
And they levelled proceedings on 52 minutes as Kolli's looping cross found Smyth who volleyed home from close range at the back post.
Cifuentes' half-time words were certainly doing the trick, although QPR still needed Begovic to deny Rubin Colwill twice in the space of a minute.
Mark McGuinness and Jamilu Collins were booked either side of Josh Bowler's introduction from the bench, as QPR asked more questions of their opponents following a blunt first-half showing.
Bowler set about taking the game by the scruff of the neck and his right-footed strike was superbly kept out by the sprawling Begovic.
And the Bluebirds regained the lead a minute later from another set piece.
Ryan Wintle delivered a teasing corner into the QPR box and, with Begovic caught out by the flight of the ball, Ng headed into the net.
Lyndon Dykes, McGuinness and Yakou Meite all had efforts for the home side in the final stages.
And Alnwick brilliantly denied Sinclair Armstrong in the final minute as Cardiff stood firm to start 2024 with victory - leaving QPR in the relegation zone with 20 league games still to be played this term.
Cardiff City boss Erol Bulut:
"It was the perfect start to 2024. They showed fighting spirit, a winning spirit, even at 1-1 when the opponent was pushing.
"From the set-pieces, with [Perry] Ng we scored the second goal. It was not an easy game.
"We made a good start (to the year). I hope we continue like this and I hope we also finish good."