QPR beaten by FC Groningen in final Dutch friendly

New signing Joel Lynch featured for QPR as they were beaten 3-1 by FC Groningen in a friendly.

Jay Emmanuel-Thomas netted and Cole Kpekawa scored an own goal in the final match of Rangers’ pre-season trip to the Netherlands.

Defender Lynch, who did not play in Friday’s game against PSV Eindhoven, has been nursing a slight hamstring problem and appeared to be in some discomfort when he was brought off six minutes into the second half.

Juninho Bacuna opened the scoring on 13 minutes when he slotted in the loose ball after keeper Matt Ingram did well to deny Tom van Weert, who had managed to sneak behind Steven Caulker.

The Dutch side were gifted a second goal midway through the second half when Kpekawa attempted to head the ball back to Ingram at the far post but instead found the corner of the net.

Rangers, demonstrating the pressing, high-tempo style boss Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has been keen to introduce, pulled a goal back just over a minute later.

Michael Doughty collected a misplaced pass and found Emmanuel-Thomas, whose heavy touch inadvertently helped him go past the goalkeeper before he fired home.

Nasser El Khayati then went close to equalising when his left-footed strike was well saved.

Another Rangers summer signing, Ariel Borysiuk, came on as a second-half substitute.

And a foul by the Polish midfielder led to Groningen’s third goal, with Danny Hoesen scoring with the resulting penalty.