Queens Park Rangers beat Middlesbrough 4-0 on Sunday afternoon in a result that felt settled long before the final whistle, with the home side controlling large portions of a one-sided contest.
David Strelec gave Rangers the lead on 20 minutes, finishing with composure after QPR had moved through Middlesbrough's shape with relative ease. Adilson Malanda doubled the advantage on 31 minutes, and Middlesbrough's inability to respond before half-time left them with a mountain to climb.
The second half brought brief hope for the visitors when Tommy Conway and Jeremy Sarmiento scored within minutes of each other around the hour mark, narrowing the deficit to 2-2 and prompting a flurry of substitutions from both benches. Alan Browne restored Rangers' lead almost immediately, arriving late into the box to convert on 68 minutes, and Paul Patrick Smyth extended it further on 71 minutes to effectively settle the outcome.
Middlesbrough pushed bodies forward in the closing stages, and Hayden Hackney pulled one back on 72 minutes to make it 4-3, but Esquerdinha's goal on 85 minutes gave the scoreline a cleaner look from QPR's perspective. Tommy Conway added a second for Middlesbrough in stoppage time, though it amounted to little more than a footnote.
Rangers were the better side throughout, with greater movement and directness in the final third. Middlesbrough's defensive organisation deteriorated as the match progressed, and QPR punished them for it on multiple occasions.
Recap generated from the event timeline. Editorial team review by request. How we use AI.
