Marti Cifuentes dedicates QPR win over Stoke to the memory of Terry Venables
Stats Perform
November 28, 2023 07:04 MYT
November 28, 2023 07:04 MYT
QPR boss Marti Cifuentes dedicated the much-needed victory over Stoke to the memory of Terry Venables.
Rangers won 4-2 against the 10-man Potters, who had Enda Stevens sent off early in the second half.
It clinched a first win in 13 matches and only their second at home since October last year.
We will remember our former player and manager Terry Venables tonight đ€
MartĂ Cifuentes will lay a wreath prior to a period of applause shortly before kick-off
The former England manager will also feature on the front of our matchday programme
â QPR FC (@QPR) November 28, 2023
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Venables, who died last week, was a popular player at Loftus Road and as manager guided Rangers to an FA Cup final, promotion to the top flight and then a fifth-placed finish which saw the club qualify for Europe.
âIt was a roller coaster of a game and a fantastic win for us,â said Cifuentes.
âIâm really happy, first of all for the players and for the supporters and because I really wanted to win this game in memory of Terry Venables.
âThe players know all about a legend like him and the impact he had not only at QPR but in English football and at Barcelona.
âWe mentioned that we wanted to go that extra mile to make sure we won the three points for his memory.â
After Lyndon Dykes put the hosts ahead, Ryan Mmaee brought Stoke level just before half-time.
HOME. đȘđđĄ! pic.twitter.com/DhwoIClfuM
â QPR FC (@QPR) November 28, 2023
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Shortly after Stevensâ dismissal, Wouter Burger put the Potters ahead before Dykes netted his second of the night.
Ben Pearsonâs own goal was the stroke of luck struggling Rangers needed, and Chris Willock added a fourth in stoppage time.
Cifuentes said: âConceding a goal before half-time is always a bit tougher.
âI told the guys it was a great challenge for us to show what kind of team we want to be; a losing team with sad faces and complaining or a team with ambition who chases victory.
âWe did that even after they scored their second goal when they had 10 men. Emotionally, that was a big challenge and Iâm so glad for them.â
Stoke boss Alex Neil was critical of referee James Liningtonâs performance.
Alex Neil believes tonight's game swung on two decisions, after his ten-man Potters were cruelly denied by a late QPR double. pic.twitter.com/RwJInoC6l2
â Stoke City FC (@stokecity) November 28, 2023
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âI thought there were two horrific decisions that changed the complexion of the game,â Neil said.
âIt was as soft a penalty as youâre likely to get. The sending-off is also really soft. I thought both decisions were really poor.
âThe problem youâve got is that youâve got some referees that want to make themselves the centrepiece of the game rather than letting the game take place and just managing it.
âI said to him that I thought he changed the complexion of the game and thatâs not the job of a referee.
âWhat I said to the fourth official during the game was âIâm not looking for any handouts or favours. Iâm just looking for fair decisionsâ.
âThe amount of bookings dished out in this game was incredible for a game in which I donât think there was a bad tackle.
âI donât think it was a nasty game by any means. We got eight bookings, which is just absolutely ridiculous for a game where there wasnât a bad tackle.
âLetâs be honest, if both teams had 11 on the pitch then I think weâre the better side.
âWe took the lead and I thought we were going to go on and win the game quite comfortably.â