U18 Professional Development League 2
Team: Cant, Luzinda (Hawkins), Bagan (Leahy), Angelov, Rossi, Manufor, Kolli, Sackey, Eisa, Obeng, Sacopon (Tuck)
On a breezy and overcast afternoon at Heston, Rangers faced a Swansea side who had previously only lost one game in 2022.
And it was the visitors who took the lead within the first two minutes. The ball was put over from the left and Ivo Rossi cleared it high over the crossbar. The resulting corner was headed in from close range by an unmarked Filip Lissah.
There was a swift response from the home side when Omar Eisa headed just over the bar from Moses Luzinda.
The Swans went close to doubling their lead following a corner. The ball was then headed down and Harry Cant did really well to get a strong hand to it.
Rayan Kolli and Jaime Sacopon switched wings and at this point Rangers were providing plenty of good build-up play but despite this they hadn’t really troubled Tyler Evans.
Some excellent defending from Ivo Rossi saw the R’s centre-back put in a superb challenge close to the bye-line and the ball went behind for a corner.
Rangers equalised ten minutes or so before the break. Mason Obeng fed Rayan Kolli and with one touch the R’s No.7 absolutely belted the ball into the roof of the net.
At the other end, Iwan Morgan swivelled near the bye-line and he then squared the ball dangerously across the six-yard box, but it ended up going wide.
Then, a shot fired low in the box was well-saved by Harry Cant. Half-time: 1-1.
Into the second-half, and Rayan Kolli, now back on the left-wing, seized upon a loose ball in the box, but his shot was blocked.
The next goalscoring attempt fell to Mason Obeng. The QPR captain let fly but Tyler Evans denied him with a diving one-handed save.
Rangers took a deserved lead on 54 minutes. Moses Luzindaknocked the ball to Omar Eisa who then moved inside to set-up Rayan Kolli to finish at the back-post.
Two changes were made around the hour mark with Jake Leahy and Alfie Tuck replacing Sam Bagan and Jaime Sacopon respectively. Josh Carey was booked following a heavy challenge.
Although impeded by two opponents, R’s defender Peter Angelov did superbly well to maintain control of the ball.
Filip Lissah was booked for a foul on Rayan Kolli.
Earlier Henry Hawkins had been introduced at the expense of Moses Luzinda.
The Swans came close to equalising with around five minutes remaining when Iwan Morgan’s effort came off the upright before going safely behind for a corner.
But at the final whistle it was the R’s who secured the three points.
Steve Russell