Queens Park Rangers 2 - 1 Rochdale

Queens Park Rangers v Rochdale

Rochdale went out of the EFL Cup at the second round stage despite taking an early lead against Championship side Queens Park Rangers at a very hot and humid Loftus Road.

Matt Lund headed Rochdale into a fifth minute lead but Dale were pegged back just before half time when Sandro swept home from a corner. The Brazilian then won the game for QPR with a diving header from another corner ball.

With temperatures above 30c at kick-off, the game was surprisingly played at a fast tempo with Dale dictating the early stages. With just five minutes on the clock, Donal McDermott’s corner was headed in by Lund who powered past Matt Ingram to shock the Loftus Road faithful.

The goal seemed to spark QPR into life and they grew into the game as the first half wore on. Connor Washington beat the Dale offside trap but Conrad Logan got down well to touch his shot away.

Ab El Khayati flashed a free-kick just over the bar.

Washington’s claims for a penalty were waived away by referee Mr Whitestone as QPR intensified their search for an equaliser.

With just four minutes remaining of the first half, QPR got the goal they’d been looking for after a well worked routine. A low corner into the area was stepped over by Borysiuk allowing Sandro the chance to sweep the ball past Logan.

The opening moments of the second half could have seen Dale re-take the lead after an almighty scramble in the QPR six yard box that they eventually managed to clear.

QPR manager Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink put on some of his more established first team players as they looked to progress to the next round with Dale having to soak up quite a bit of pressure at times. Tjaronn Chery, Seb Polter and Massimo Luongo all having half chances that Dale snuffed out.

The winning goal was all too familiar for the travelling Dale fans as another set piece was the undoing. A corner from the right was met by the head of Sandro giving Logan no chance.

The latter stages really opened up but Dale never really looked like troubling the score sheet - Ian Henderson firing well wide under pressure from Hall the closest Dale came.

Rochdale: Logan, Rafferty (Andrew 78), McGahey, Canavan, McNulty, Allen, Lund, Thompson (Davies 62), Cannon (Mendez-Laing 62), McDermott, Henderson (c)
Subs: (not used) Lillis, Tanser, Camps, Odelusi

Queens Park Rangers: Ingram, Perch, Hall, Onuoha, Bidwell, Shodipo, Sandro, Borysiuk (Luongo 61), Kakay (Polter 73), El Khayati (Chery 40), Washington
Subs: (not used) Smithies, Grego-Cox, Comley, Paul

Referee: Mr D Whitestone
Assistants: Mr C Taylor and Mr S Plane
Fourth Official: Mr D Rock

Attendance: 3,928 (211 from Rochdale)