Bournemouth beat QPR 1-0 thanks to a Dominic Solanke header. Giving them their first win in seven games and putting them top of the Championship.
After 41 minutes at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium, Solanke scored his 18th goal of the season.
With the loss, QPR, who had been without a game for 22 days due to Covid. Missed out on a chance to climb into the top six.
They finished the game with ten men when replacement Andre Dozzell was sent off for two bookings in injury time.
Bournemouth’s form was terrible leading into this game, despite their high position. Scott Parker’s side had only six points from their previous eight games after starting the season with a 15-game undefeated run. Allowing Blackburn to close the gap.
Solanke should have put the visitors ahead after a cagey start. But he somehow managed to head over from four yards following a superb ball from Philip Billing.
How did Bournemouth secure the victory?
However, Bournemouth number nine made apologies when he scored with a considerably more challenging header from Stanislas’ in-swinging free-kick. Going highest to steer one into the far side.
Only Fulham’s Aleksandar Mitrovic and Blackburn’s Ben Brereton Diaz have scored more goals in the Championship this season than Solanke (17).
In quest of a second goal, Solanke was twice denied by QPR goalkeeper Seny Dieng, but the most obvious chance fell to substitute Jaidon Anthony, who steered wide of an open goal from five yards after Jack Stacey had fizzed an attractive low ball from across the box.
They did, however, do enough to vault Fulham into the first position, even though Fulham’s game against Birmingham on December 26 had been postponed.
It was difficult to predict what to expect from the west London team, who had not played since a 2-0 loss to Stoke City on 5 December, after a Covid outbreak and two games delayed and had dropped out of the top six.
The squad of Mark Warburton had more control, but they failed to create chances against a Gary Cahill-led defence.
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