Match ends, Sunderland 0, Queens Park Rangers 2.
SunderlandSunderland0QPRQueens Park Rangers2
- QPR claim first away win of season at 12th attempt
- Hoops climb out of relegation zone
- Fer scores opener but goes off injured
- Sunderland suffer first defeat in five in all competitions
QPR climbed out of the relegation zone as goals from Leroy Fer and Bobby Zamora against Sunderland ended an 11-game losing run away from home.
The Hoops took the lead when Fer met Matty Phillips's excellent right-wing cross with a firm downward header.
A fine hooked volley from Zamora just before half-time sealed a first away win of the season.
Sunderland, who have won one of their past eight league games, are only two points above the relegation zone.
QPR chairman Tony Fernandes talked before the match of finding his "dream manager" to replace Harry Redknapp, but, on the evidence of this encouraging result, his players are already responding to the interim management of Chris Ramsey.
The only sour note for QPR was the loss of Fer, arguably their most influential player, who was carried off on a stretcher with a knee injury 15 minutes from time.
Ramsey's side were undaunted by the absence of injured leading scorer Charlie Austin, who has 13 league goals this season.
The visitors dominated the opening exchanges, with Joey Barton firing over and Zamora glancing a header wide, and they took a deserved lead in the 17th minute when Fer nodded home.
Sunderland, for whom defeat ended a four-game unbeaten run in all competitions, were denied by a combination of poor build-up play and fine goalkeeping from Rob Green.
The former England international pulled off a spectacular save to parry Connor Wickham's header on to the bar, then scooped the ball clear as it bounced behind him.
QPR continued to pose a threat on the break, especially down the right, and it was that route that provided the second goal as another Phillips cross set up Zamora, who finished superbly.
Sunderland improved after the break, but a QPR team full of experience - Barton, Karl Henry and Rio Ferdinand all started - nullified the hosts' threat.
The Black Cats still have only two home wins this season, the lowest tally in the top flight.
Line-ups
Sunderland
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Pantilimon
- 15RéveillereSubstituted forBrownat 63'minutes
- 27Vergini
- 16O'Shea
- 3van Aanholt
- 7LarssonBooked at 41mins
- 4Bridcutt
- 14Gomez Garcia-PencheSubstituted forÁlvarezat 45'minutesBooked at 83mins
- 11Johnson
- 28Defoe
- 10WickhamSubstituted forFletcherat 82'minutes
Substitutes
- 5Brown
- 9Fletcher
- 19Graham
- 20Álvarez
- 22Coates
- 25Mannone
- 42Agnew
QPR
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Green
- 14IslaSubstituted forDoughtyat 85'minutes
- 5FerdinandBooked at 70mins
- 4Caulker
- 13Yun
- 20Henry
- 8BartonBooked at 78mins
- 7PhillipsSubstituted forWright-Phillipsat 52'minutes
- 10FerSubstituted forZárateat 75'minutes
- 19Kranjcar
- 25ZamoraBooked at 35mins
Substitutes
- 3Traore
- 6Hill
- 11Wright-Phillips
- 12McCarthy
- 27Taarabt
- 29Zárate
- 36Doughty
- Referee:
- Martin Atkinson
- Attendance:
- 39,077
Match Stats
Home TeamSunderlandAway TeamQPR
- Possession
- Home53%
- Away47%
- Shots
- Home18
- Away19
- Shots on Target
- Home6
- Away4
- Corners
- Home8
- Away4
- Fouls
- Home8
- Away12
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Sunderland 0, Queens Park Rangers 2.
Post update
Foul by Patrick van Aanholt (Sunderland).
Post update
Michael Doughty (Queens Park Rangers) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Offside, Queens Park Rangers. Yun Suk-Young tries a through ball, but Bobby Zamora is caught offside.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Mauro Zárate (Queens Park Rangers) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Michael Doughty.
Post update
Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Joey Barton.
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Steven Fletcher (Sunderland) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Foul by Joey Barton (Queens Park Rangers).
Post update
Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Rio Ferdinand.
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Attempt blocked. Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
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Attempt saved. Niko Kranjcar (Queens Park Rangers) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Yun Suk-Young.
Substitution
Substitution, Queens Park Rangers. Michael Doughty replaces Mauricio Isla.
Post update
Attempt saved. Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Patrick van Aanholt (Sunderland) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Adam Johnson with a cross.
Booking
Ricardo Álvarez (Sunderland) is shown the yellow card.
Post update
Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Shaun Wright-Phillips.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Adam Johnson (Sunderland) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.
Post update
Attempt blocked. John O'Shea (Sunderland) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Steven Fletcher.
Post update
Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Mauricio Isla.
