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[Steve Russell]

Report from the Club...

QPR’S 2026/27 pre-season campaign began with a goalless draw against First Vienna FC
in Austria.

The first of two fixtures in the Austrian capital as part of an eight-day stay overseas, R's
head coach Julien Stéphan handed first-team debuts to summer signing Boy Kemper as well
as Justin Obikwu and academy products Cory Adjetey-Brew and Philip Sanyaolu.

Chances didn’t exactly flow in the first half, but QPR had the better of them.

In the 11th minute, Harvey Vale, Nico Madsen and Koki Saito all combined to effect before the
latter fired over after cutting into the penalty area.

The home side failed to test Hoops goalkeeper Matteo Salamon before half-time - and it was the
R’s shot-stopper’s long ball up field that saw the visitors go as close as they did in the first half,
on 33 minutes.

Salamon’s hoisted pass wasn’t dealt with by the Vienna defence and, when Rumarn Burrell
eventually went charging into the penalty area, the former Burton striker forced a flying stop out
of Bernard Unger.

The R’s also should have forged ahead in the 35th minute - Burrell again involved as he did well
to nick Jimmy Dunne’s ball forward off a home defender before seeing his pull-back dragged wide
Madsen.

Rangers fielded separate XIs in each half and, once the second period got underway, went close
again in the 54th minute. Ilias Chair picked out Paul Smyth to curl wide of the right-hand post from
the edge of the box.

Moments later, Salamon was tested for the very first time as Bernhard Zimmerman skipped in behind
before forcing an important low block from the young ‘keeper.

The home side had their best spell yet after that and Rangers’ Liam Morrison produced a crucial
intervention to keep out Florian Prohart.

The R's didn't control proceedings as much as they did in the first half but still had notable opportunities
to win this friendly after half-time.

In the closing stages, Obikwu’s low centre was eventually sent wide of the target by Jaylan Pearman from
18 yards - while Obikwu himself curled only marginally past the upright on 88 minutes.

Ultimately, this fixture finished in stalemate, with the R's next in action against SC Wiener Neustadt on
Thursday.

QPR (first half): Salamon, Adamson, Dunne, Edwards, Kemper, Alemayehu, Madsen, Bennie, Vale, Saito,
Burrell.

Second half: Salamon, Mbengue, Morrison, Clarke-Salter, Adjetey-Brew, Varane, Pearman, Smyth (Sanyaolu 75),
Chair, Lloyd (Obikwu 75), Kone.