Good news from the Club...
'RANGERS' 2024/25 pre-season campaign got off to a winning start after a 2-0 success over Andorran champions
UE Santa Coloma in Girona.
In the first of two fixtures in northern Spain as part of our overseas training camp, goals from Ilias Chair (41 minutes)
and Michael Frey (75) handed Martí Cifuentes' R's victory in this behind-closed-doors friendly fixture.
QPR announced the signings of Liam Morrison and Hevertton Santos shortly before kick-off and both players were given
45-minute runouts apiece.
Morrison made his R's bow in a first half where Martí's men made a bright start.
In the sixth minute, Paul Smyth and Jimmy Dunne combined down the right before the latter's eventual dangerous
cross flashed across the box without a touch.
Two minutes later, Chair cut in from the left before seeing his low effort pushed away by the goalkeeper.
Chances didn't exactly flow in first period but Rangers enjoyed long, controlled spells of possession.
After a water break was called midway through the opening half, Chair's 36th-minute free-kick narrowly missed the
target.
Then, four minutes before the interval, the Moroccan's next attempt handed Rangers the lead.
In a slick team move, Lorent Talla - brought on for Harry Murphy on the half-hour mark - Smyth and Chair all combined,
with Chair meeting Smyth's low centre just inside the penalty area before sweeping the ball into the bottom right-hand corner.
Rangers fielded a completely different XI for the closing half, with Santos introduced for his first R's appearance. Academy
product Alfie Tuck was also among those brought for the second 45 minutes.
Rayan Kolli's perseverance and subsequent snap-shot so nearly earned him a goal 10 minutes after half-time, with his attempt
tipped away by the UE goalkeeper at his bottom left-hand post.
Then, at the other end, substitute R's custodian Murphy Mahoney produced a flying stop on the hour as Jorge Bolívar's deflected
shot looked to be looping in.
Rangers followed that important save up by eventually making sure of the win.
Summer signing Daniel Bennie - and Alfie Lloyd - were brought on for their senior Rangers debuts in the 70th minute.
Australian attacker Bennie so nearly netted a spectacular R's second just moments after his arrival, seeing his swerving drive force
another fine stop from the UE 'keeper following a move also involving Ziyad Larkeche and Lloyd.
Rangers would double their lead 15 minutes from time, though - capitalising on a mistake in the opposing rearguard before Frey
produced a cool, low finish.
Santos also thought he had a debut goal after Bennie's initial effort was well saved by the goalkeeper, but his rebound strike
was ruled out for offside.
In the end, Rangers were worthy 2-0 victors in what was a productive opening to our pre-season campaign.
We return to action next Thursday, kick-off 5.30pm BST once more in Spain versus opponents TBC.
QPR (first half): Walsh, Dunne, Morrison, Clarke-Salter, Paal, Field, Dixon-Bonner, Smyth, Murphy (Talla 30), Chair,
Armstrong.
QPR (second half): Mahoney, Santos, Cannon, Cook, Fox, Larkeche, Colback, Tuck (Bennie 70), Andersen, Kolli (Lloyd 70),
Frey.