Norwich 1 QPR 1
Bobby Zamora’s equaliser secured QPR’s first Premier League point of the season.
Zamora netted from the rebound after Djibril Cisse’s penalty had been pushed onto the post by Norwich keeper John Ruddy.
Rangers looked vulnerable at the back throughout, but their performance was a marked improvement on the opening-day shambles against Swansea.
And there was a debut for recent signing Jose Bosingwa, who came on as a second-half substitute.
Norwich – themselves beaten 5-0 by Fulham last weekend – punished some slack defending to go ahead in the 12th minute.
Fabio, who started at right-back in place of Nedum Onuoha, was sucked into the middle, enabling Anthony Pilkington to collect Robert Snodgrass’ pass and cross from the left for Simeon Jackson to head home from close range.
Rangers were handed a lifeline six minutes later, after Sebastien Bassong was adjudged to have fouled Cisse in the area.
Cisse was unable to convert the resulting spot-kick, but Zamora was on hand to rifle the loose ball into the far corner of the net.
Jackson squandered a great chance early in the second period, while Cisse inexplicably failed to connect properly after Zamora’s chip into the box found the Frenchman in acres of space with only Ruddy to beat.
Rangers were almost made to pay for that miss when Russell Martin headed Pilkington’s 83rd-minute cross against the bar.
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This post was last modified on 25/08/2012