Match ends, Queens Park Rangers 1, Wigan Athletic 0.
Queens Park Rangers 1-0 Wigan Athletic
- From the section Football
Yossi Benayoun scored the winner before being sent-off as QPR beat play-off rivals Wigan to go third in the Championship table.
Former Liverpool midfielder Benayoun hit the only goal when he raced on to a flick from Clint Hill and lashed into the far corner.
Wigan were on top for large spells, with Ivan Ramis hitting the crossbar.
Ravel Morrison hit the bar for QPR, before Benayoun was dismissed in stoppage-time for a second booking.
Wigan had not lost in 10 games and started the day a place behind Rangers.
It was Uwe Rosler's visitors who had the first chance when midfielder Josh McEachran hit a free-kick just wide.
QPR then went ahead when Benayoun collected Hill's flick and smashed past Ali Al-Habsi in the Wigan goal.
Harry Redknapp's side were then indebted to former England goalkeeper Rob Green, who saved well from James Perch and Nick Powell before Ramis hit the crossbar.
An outstanding Morrison free-kick hit the underside of the bar and Bobby Zamora's rebound was cleared off the line before Benayoun saw red.
QPR assistant boss Kevin Bond: "Wigan carry plenty of threat, plenty of energy and are a good side. At times, they gave us real problems.
"Rob Green had to be at his best and produced a great save right at the end. I thought it was a really good game.
"We started brightly, got the goal, which we always badly needed, and then there was a lot of good football on both sides.
"We are highly delighted to come out victorious and keep a clean sheet and hopefully try to cement our place for the play-offs."
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Wigan boss Uwe Rosler: "I think everybody in the stadium, when they are realistic, saw we should have got something out of that game.
"QPR were obviously the team favourite before the season to go up, and the way we played, apart from the first 10 minutes, was very, very good.
"We had more attempts on goal, bigger chances and the clearer chances. I felt our morale, attitude and application was top draw.
"The QPR goalkeeper, for me, was the man of the match. I think maybe Roy Hodgson should have a look at him."
Line-ups
QPR
- 1Green
- 18Hughes
- 6Hill
- 10Carroll
- 15Onuoha
- 5Dunne
- 35BenayounBooked at 90mins
- 17BartonSubstituted forHenryat 84'minutes
- 25Zamora
- 4MorrisonBooked at 87minsSubstituted forYunat 90'minutes
- 19KranjcarSubstituted forO'Neilat 45'minutes
Substitutes
- 2Simpson
- 12Keane
- 13Yun
- 20Henry
- 23Hoilett
- 26Murphy
- 36O'Neil
Wigan
- 26Al-Habsi
- 24Perch
- 3CraineySubstituted forBeausejourat 61'minutes
- 30Kiernan
- 21Ramis
- 6RogneSubstituted forGómez García-Pencheat 73'minutes
- 16McArthurBooked at 72mins
- 4McEachranSubstituted forMaynardat 80'minutes
- 11McClean
- 19Powell
- 34Collison
Substitutes
- 1Carson
- 5Caldwell
- 14Gómez García-Penche
- 22Beausejour
- 29Maynard
- 32Fortuné
- 33Waghorn
- Referee:
- Simon Hooper
- Attendance:
- 14,649
Match Stats
Home TeamQPRAway TeamWigan
- Possession
- Home50%
- Away50%
- Shots
- Home12
- Away17
- Shots on Target
- Home5
- Away7
- Corners
- Home3
- Away9
- Fouls
- Home12
- Away14
Live Text
Full Time
Second Half ends, Queens Park Rangers 1, Wigan Athletic 0.
Hand ball by Karl Henry (Queens Park Rangers).
Corner, Wigan Athletic. Conceded by Robert Green.
Attempt saved. Nicky Maynard (Wigan Athletic) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top right corner. Assisted by Nick Powell with a cross.
Attempt blocked. Nick Powell (Wigan Athletic) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Jordi Gómez.
Attempt blocked. Jordi Gómez (Wigan Athletic) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Dismissal
Second yellow card to Yossi Benayoun (Queens Park Rangers) for a bad foul.
Foul by Yossi Benayoun (Queens Park Rangers).
Jordi Gómez (Wigan Athletic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Substitution
Substitution, Queens Park Rangers. Yun Suk-Young replaces Ravel Morrison.
Corner, Wigan Athletic. Conceded by Gary O'Neil.
Corner, Wigan Athletic. Conceded by Aaron Hughes.
Booking
Ravel Morrison (Queens Park Rangers) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Ravel Morrison (Queens Park Rangers).
Jordi Gómez (Wigan Athletic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Yossi Benayoun (Queens Park Rangers).
James McArthur (Wigan Athletic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Offside, Queens Park Rangers. Yossi Benayoun tries a through ball, but Ravel Morrison is caught offside.
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Substitution
Substitution, Queens Park Rangers. Karl Henry replaces Joey Barton because of an injury.
Delay in match Joey Barton (Queens Park Rangers) because of an injury.
Offside, Wigan Athletic. Jordi Gómez tries a through ball, but Jean Beausejour is caught offside.
Booking
Yossi Benayoun (Queens Park Rangers) is shown the yellow card.
Foul by Yossi Benayoun (Queens Park Rangers).
Jordi Gómez (Wigan Athletic) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Attempt blocked. Bobby Zamora (Queens Park Rangers) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.
Ravel Morrison (Queens Park Rangers) hits the bar with a right footed shot from outside the box from a direct free kick.
Substitution
Substitution, Wigan Athletic. Nicky Maynard replaces Joshua McEachran.
Ravel Morrison (Queens Park Rangers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by James McArthur (Wigan Athletic).
Ravel Morrison (Queens Park Rangers) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Jack Collison (Wigan Athletic).
Bobby Zamora (Queens Park Rangers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Robert Kiernan (Wigan Athletic).
Substitution
Substitution, Wigan Athletic. Jordi Gómez replaces Thomas Rogne.
Attempt missed. Yossi Benayoun (Queens Park Rangers) right footed shot from the centre of the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Aaron Hughes with a cross.
Booking
James McArthur (Wigan Athletic) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Yossi Benayoun (Queens Park Rangers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by James McArthur (Wigan Athletic).