Faurlin limps off in Rangers cup exit

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QPR 2 Reading 3

Pavel Pogrebnyak’s 81st-minute goal sent QPR out of the Capital One Cup after they had twice been in front.

And to make matters worse for Rangers, Alejandro Faurlin, recently back from a long-term knee injury, was helped off the pitch three minutes from time.

Junior Hoilett put them ahead before ex-R’s defender Kaspars Gorkss equalised on his return to Loftus Road.

Djbril Cisse’s 25-yard screamer restored the lead but Nicky Shorey levelled and Reading then went ahead through former Fulham man Pogrebnyak, who had a stoppage-time penalty saved by Julio Cesar after being brought down by Stephane Mbia.

Rangers boss Mark Hughes, who won the League Cup with three different clubs as a player, demonstrated how seriously he treats the competition by selecting almost the same side which lost at Tottenham on Sunday.

Cisse scored a great goal.

One change saw recent signing Mbia come in for his debut, starting alongside Clint Hill at centre-back in place of Ryan Nelsen.

And Hughes’ team made a good start, with Hoilett’s first goal for QPR giving them a deserved lead in the 15th minute.

Hoilett dribbled past two defenders before steering his shot beyond keeper Alex McCarthy and into the far corner of the net.

But Reading replied less than two minutes later when Shorey’s left-wing free-kick was headed in by Gorkss, who showed respect for his former club by not celebrating.

Pogrebnyak had a goal disallowed early in the second half and Ji-sung Park had an effort saved by McCarthy before Cisse put Rangers back in front.

The goal owed much to the persistence of Esteban Granero. The Spaniard chased a lost cause and charged down Shaun Cummings’ clearance, with the resulting loose ball finding its way to Cisse, who hammered in his first goal of the season.

However, Reading hit back again, with keeper Cesar caught flat-footed by Shorey’s free-kick, which went in off the underside of the bar.

And they took the lead when Jay Tabb cut the ball back and Noel Hunt cleverly teed up Pogrebnyak, whose cheeky flick ended up in the bottom corner.

Pogrebnyak had a late chance to score again after Mbia was adjudged to have fouled him as the two tangled in the area, but Cesar kept out the Russian’s spot-kick.

By that stage, though, Rangers looked demoralised and had lost Faurlin, whose apparent injury will cause serious concern.

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