Below-par QPR left empty-handed by resolute Huddersfield Town

QPR (0) 0

Huddersfield Town (0) 1 Bacuna 55

An off-key Rangers slipped to a seventh home defeat of the season but could have few complaints, as they failed to maintain the momentum of two wins earlier in the week.

Huddersfield have found victories hard to come by in 2021 but they made the better chances and showed the greater sense of urgency and menace throughout.

The winning margin should really have been greater but in the end the Terriers held on comfortably to the goal they scored early in the second half through the game’s outstanding player, Juninho Bacuna.

Bacuna rifled past Seny Dieng after Hoops’ rearguard had been totally exposed when Spanish wing-back Pipa had rolled a smart pass back from the left to the onrushing striker.

And Bacuna so very nearly doubled the lead 10 minutes later with a free-kick bent low around the defensive wall which did not miss Dieng’s left-hand post by much.

Rangers struggled to get to grips with the Terriers’ most eye-catching player and their frustration was summed up by an ugly lunge from Stefan Johansen on Bacuna which earned the on-loan Fulham midfielder a yellow card late on.

The Yorkshire side started much the better of the two sides and might easily have stolen an early march, as they set the tone for the afternoon.

Lewis O’Brien’s shot from outside the box was pushed aside by Dieng and Isaac Mbenza scudded a low shot from a similar distance which skipped past the far post. Naby Sarr flicked a header just wide.

Veteran defender Richard Keogh went even close with a far-post header from a corner after escaping the attention of markers – the effort flashed inches wide.

Bacuna - the younger brother of the better-known, Premier League playing Leandro - also sent a rising shot just over for the Terriers and it took Rangers a good 35 minutes to create their first big moment.

It really should have brought dividends. Chris Willock and Ilias Chair combined at speed down the right and a pass inside gave Todd Kane all of the goal to aim at. But a low shot into the centre of the goal was blocked on the line by keeper Ryan Schofield, who showed great reactions to spring up to deny Kane a second bite at the cherry.

Willock also curled another just over but a much better second half was needed and in truth it never materialised.

After Bacuna’s opener and near miss from the free-kick, substitute Duane Holmes had Dieng scrambling to get down to another low shot that looked like creeping inside his post and Pipa curled onto the roof of the net.

Rangers never looked like profiting from the let-off.

Hoops: Dieng – Barbet, Kane (Adomah 76), Dickie – Kakay, Field, Johansen, Wallace – Willock, Austin (Bonne 88), Chair (Dykes 76). Subs not used: Lumley, De Wijs, Ball, Thomas, Cameron, Hamalainen

Terriers: Schofield – Edmonds-Green, Keogh, Sarr – Hogg – Pipa, Rowe (Duhaney 52), O’Brien, Bacuna (Stearman 90) – Campbell (Sanogo 67), Mbenza (Holmes 52). Subs not used: Vallejo, Ward, Brown, Pereira, High