QPR out after Sunderland’s cup comeback

QPR 1 Sunderland 2

Paddy McNair scored twice for Sunderland as they came from behind at Loftus Road to secure a place in the fourth round of the EFL Cup.

Sandro put Rangers ahead on the hour mark with a thumping strike after Joel Lynch had headed Nasser El Khayati’s left-wing corner towards the Brazilian midfielder.

But McNair, a summer signing from Manchester United, netted the first goals of his senior career to take the Premier League side through.

He equalised on 70 minutes when he burst into the box and poked the ball past keeper Matt Ingram after exchanging passes with Duncan Watmore.
And the Northern Ireland international struck again 10 minutes later, firing home the loose ball after Ingram had parried Didier Ndong’s shot.

Ingram had produced two excellent saves during a first half in which both sides created chances.

Ndong was a major threat on the right flank and he led an early Sunderland counter-attack and found Watmore, whose low shot was pushed away for a corner.

Ingram also did well to keep out a firmly-struck effort from Jan Kirchhoff as the visitors continued to push forward.

Black Cats keeper Jordan Pickford was called into action too when Pawel Wszolek set up El Khayati.

Pickford palmed the Dutchman’s shot up into the air and Jason Denayer then headed over his own bar to prevent the lurking Conor Washington from pouncing on the loose ball.

Polish winger Wszolek, making his full debut for the R’s along with striker Idrissa Sylla, then shot wide of the near post after cutting in from the left.

The hardworking Wszolek moved from the right to the left to offer some protection to 20-year-old left-back Niko Hamalainen, who made his senior debut for QPR.

Washington initially tried to do so but Sunderland’s right-sided combination of Ndong and Denayer looked far too sharp for the hosts in the early stages.

The change helped Rangers stem the flow and Hamalainen was even able to get forward in the closing moments of the first half, sending a shot wide of the target.

Sunderland were back on the front foot straight after the restart and Jordan Cousins rescued Rangers by heading McNair’s deflected shot off the line following Patrick van Aanholt’s left-wing corner.

Cousins then created a great chance at the other end, but his excellent ball in from the left was headed wide at the far post by Washington.

Sandro, who scored twice against Rochdale in the previous round but has not made a league appearance this season, made no mistake when a chance came his way.

However, McNair’s brace turned the tie in Sunderland’s favour.