Rangers pull off stunning derby victory

Chelsea 0 QPR 1

Shaun Wright-Phillips’ 78th-minute winner gave bottom-of-the-table QPR a sensational victory in the west London derby at Stamford Bridge.

After Chelsea failed to deal with Esteban Granero’s left-wing corner, the ball dropped to Adel Taarabt and he skilfully teed up Wright-Phillips, who drilled home from 25 yards.

It was the ex-Blues winger’s first league goal for Rangers, giving them their first away league win over their neighbours since 1983.

As shock top-flight results go, they hardly come bigger than this given QPR’s woes and Chelsea’s attacking prowess this season.

Chelsea dominated large periods of the game but were fortunate not to be reduced to 10 men early on.

Marko Marin escaped with a yellow card after an horrendous fourth-minute challenge on Stephane Mbia which could easily have left his opponent with a broken leg.

In a predictably one-sided first half, David Luiz and Victor Moses sent efforts over the bar and QPR keeper Julio Cesar saved with his legs to deny Oscar.

And Chelsea wanted a penalty when Ryan Bertrand went down near the edge of the box after being accidentally clipped by Jamie Mackie.

Rangers’ only real sight of goal before the break came when Wright-Phillips – on as a substitute for the injured Junior Hoilett – dragged a shot wide after being put through by Granero.

Hoilett limped off on 16 minutes with what appeared to be a hamstring problem.

Chelsea stepped up a gear after the restart and Branislav Ivanovic’s header from Marin’s corner grazed the bar before Fernando Torres fired straight at Cesar from point-blank range.

But the R’s responded with an excellent spell of pressure.

Granero had an effort saved by Ross Turnbull before Gary Cahill needed to produce a fine last-ditch challenge to thwart Mackie as he looked to latch onto Taarabt’s clever pass.

And from Taarabt’s resulting corner, Turnbull held a header from an unmarked Shaun Derry at the far post.

Chelsea looked to regain the initiative and Lampard fired into the net following good work from Oscar but was offside.

However, Rangers hit back and Wright-Phillips’ goal against his former club – a cracking right-footed strike into the corner – could prove to be a turning point in their season.

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