EPL Result: QPR 3 - 2 West Brom

A Charlie Austin hat-trick saw Queens Park Rangers come from two goals down to secure a last-gasp 3-2 win at home to West Bromwich Albion this afternoon.

The first chance of the game fell the way of the visitors, but Craig Gardner's snapshot was saved comfortably by Rob Green.

Brown Ideye then should have netted his first Premier League goal for the Baggies, but the Nigerian forward blazed his effort over the bar after good work from Stephane Sessegnon.

West Brom took the lead that their vibrant start deserved when Joleon Lescott latched onto Ideye's near-post flick on to nod home from close range in the 11th minute.

Less than 10 minutes later, Ideye laid on another assist for Silvestre Varela, who lashed the ball past Green to put the stunned hosts 2-0 behind.

However, James Morrison's foolish decision to haul back Leroy Fer inside the box handed QPR a route back into the game, leaving Charlie Austin with the task of converting the penalty to almost immediately reduce the arrears.

Sessegnon almost capped a fine first-half performance with a goal, but Green pushed away his strike, while Austin nearly got QPR back on level terms on the stroke of half time, only for the forward's shot to dip onto the roof of the net.

Austin's fantastic season continued as he got QPR back on level terms three minutes into the second half after Richard Dunne's initial header had flicked off the crossbar.

Joey Barton then went down inside the area under another clumsy challenge from Morrison, but the referee denied QPR their seocnd penalty of the afternoon.

Ideye then wasted a glorious opportunity to put West Brom ahead once more, but he scuffed his shot straight into the arms of Green when put through one-on-one.

With 10 minutes remaining, it was Austin's turn to pass up a gilt-edged chance as he fired at Foster to waste the chance to secure a hat-trick.

However, the 25-year-old netted his third goal of the game just three minutes from time to hand the R's a dramatic win to continue their fine home form.

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EPL Preview: Queens Park Rangers vs. West Bromwich Albion

Queens Park Rangers will be able to call upon striker Charlie Austin for the visit of West Bromwich Albion on Saturday afternoon.

Austin, who has netted eight times this season, sat out the 3-1 defeat at Everton on Monday night due to a one-match suspension.

Defender Steven Caulker also missed the fixture at Goodison Park but he could start providing that he has recovered from a cut to his head.

All of QPR's points in the top flight this season have come at Loftus Road, with Harry Redknapp's team winning four times and drawing twice in eight games.

West Brom head coach Alan Irvine would have been relieved to see his team record their first win in six games against Aston Villa last weekend.

The Baggies had fallen to within touching distance of the drop zone but three points at The Hawthorns enabled them to move to 14th position.

Irvine will be without Jonas Olsson and Georgios Samaras for the trip to London, while striker Victor Anichebe will be assessed.

Chris Brunt will return to the squad after a hamstring problem, but he is unlikely to be drafted into the starting lineup with Irvine potentially naming an unchanged lineup.

Queens Park Rangers:

Recent form DLWLWL

Possible starting lineup: Green, Yeung, Dunne, Caulker, Isla, Phillips, Barton, Fer, Mutch, Austin, Vargas

West Bromwich Albion:
Recent form: LLLLDW

Possible starting lineup: Foster, Wisdom, Lescott, McAuley, Pocognoli, Gardner, Dorrans, Morrison, Varela, Sessegnon, Ideye

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EPL Result: West Brom 2 - 2 Sunderland

West Bromwich Albion and Sunderland have played out an entertaining 2-2 draw in today's Premier League opener at the Hawthorns.

After just five minutes played, Jonas Olsson attempted to clear a dangerous Sunderland foray into the Baggies box, but the ball fell to Lee Cattermole, who rifled into the top corner from 25 yards for just his second goal in a Black Cats shirt.

Rather than breathe life into the game, proceedings slowed down after the goal and was devoid of much action until the 23rd minute, when Saido Berahino struck wide after receiving the ball inside the box.

The game did however open up midway through the first half, and chances fell to players from both sides, Valentin Roberge heading wide from close range on the half-hour mark.

Chris Brunt and Craig Gardner then came close for the Baggies, before a penalty was awarded to the home side courtesy of Roberge's tussle with Victor Anichebe, Berahino making no mistake from 12 yards to put his side back into the game.

The 21-year-old struck again in the 73rd minute after converting a deep Gardner cross at the far post, the Burundian getting the better of Patrick van Aanholt and tapping the ball into the net.

The beleaguered Dutch left-back, however, made amends when his low cross fell perfectly to Sebastian Larsson, who had a simple finish to make it 2-2 with just five minutes left to play.

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RESULT: Morgan Amalfitano Strike Earns Three Points For West Bromwich Albion

Morgan Amalfitano's goal in the first half was enough to earn West Bromwich Albion a 1-0 win over Norwich City on Saturday afternoon.

West Brom started the game brightly, with Graham Dorrans only just missing the target with a powerful effort from the edge of the box following a quick passing move.

It took the Baggies until the 16th minute for them to take the lead, and it was Morgan who scores his second goal in as many games with a low strike from 18 yards after taking advantage of Martin Olsson's slip.

Matej Vydra had an opportunity to double West Brom's lead after combining well with Stephane Sessegnon, but the striker was denied by John Ruddy's save.

Norwich struggled to create many clear opportunities in the first half, but they could have been level when Johan Elmander's flicked header was pushed away by Ben Foster.

The Canaries were inches away from equalising in the early stages of the second half when Gary Hooper fired a loose ball against the crossbar from inside the box.

Chris Hughton's side were denied by the woodwork once again as Robert Snodgrass saw a free kick tipped against the bar by Foster.

Norwich pushed for the equaliser until the final whistle, but they were fortunate not to lose by a wider margin when Saido Berahino's powerful strike was stopped by Ruddy.

The Baggies managed to hold off the hosts in the closing stages to secure the victory, and pile more pressure on Hughton.


Source: www.sportsmole.co.uk

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EPL PREVIEW: Norwich vs. West Bromwich Albion

Things went from bad to worse at relegation-threatened West Bromwich Albion this week as news of a changing room bust-up become public knowledge.

James Morrison is said to have punched teammate Saido Berahino in the immediate aftermath of Albion's dramatic 3-3 Premier League draw with Cardiff City.

Berahino's conceding of possession in stoppage time allowed the Bluebirds to race up the other end and score a 93rd-minute equaliser, much to Morrison's displeasure.

England Under-21 international Berahino was believed to be considering suing the former Middlesbrough midfielder before the Baggies persuaded him that was not a necessary course of action.

In a show of unity, manager Pepe Mel could name both men on the field at Carrow Road on Saturday afternoon as West Brom get back to fighting against the drop, rather than fighting each other.

The West Midlands side are only three points above safety and are being left in the thick of a survival battle while other teams around them, such as Norwich City, have moved clear of the bottom three.

It is a run of seven home games without defeat which has seen the Canaries climb six points away from the relegation zone, although Chris Hughton's men will not feel completely safe just yet.

A win against Albion on Saturday would go far to securing Norwich's Premier League status and therefore Hughton should continue with two forwards in the form of Ricky van Wolfswinkel and Johan Elmander.

Jonas Gutierrez could be recalled to the home starting lineup after making his return from six weeks out off the bench in the 3-0 defeat to Swansea, while Bradley Johnson is also pushing for a start.

Leroy Fer and long-term absentee Elliott Bennett remain sidelined and although Michael Turner and Joseph Yobo are both close to full fitness, Ryan Bennett may be retained in the centre of defence.

Mel, who has only won one game since being appointed Albion boss in December, is likely to choose between Berahino and Thievy for the lone striker role if Victor Anichebe's hamstring injury keeps him out.

The former Everton striker faces a late fitness test ahead of the trip to East Anglia, but Chris Brunt, Claudio Yacob and Billy Jones are all at least one week away from making a first-term comeback.

Jonas Olsson is available again after completing a two-match suspension for picking up 10 yellow cards.

Recent form

Norwich: LWLDLW

West Brom: DLWLDD

Possible starting lineups

Norwich: Ruddy; Martin, Bennett, Bassong, Olsson; Gutierrez, Tettey, Johnson, Snodgrass; Van Wolfswinkel, Elmander

West Brom: Foster; Reid, McAuley, Olsson, Ridgewell; Amalfitano, Dorrans, Mulumbu, Morrison; Sessegnon; Berahino

Source: www.sportsmole.co.uk
 

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SPORTS: Man Utd 1 - 2 West Bromwich Albion

Manchester United slipped to a first home defeat of the season as West Bromwich Albion posted a shock 2-1 victory over the Barclays Premier League champions at Old Trafford.

Despite bouncing back from last weekend’s Manchester derby defeat with a rousing Capital One Cup victory over Liverpool in midweek, David Moyes’ side were unable to break down the well-drilled visitors in open play, and succumbed to two fine goals.

A solo effort from Morgan Amalfitano and Saido Berahino's low strike sandwiched a Wayne Rooney free-kick, but United came no closer to an equaliser than in an injury-time flurry when Michael Carrick's shot was beaten away and substitute Adnan Januzaj fired off-target.

Nani had provided United's most fruitful attacking outlet for most of the afternoon, slinging in several superb crosses, two of which were narrowly ahead of Chicharito while another was headed straight at Boaz Myhill by Rooney.

It was the visitors, however, who spurned the clearest two openings of the first half, as Berahino glanced a header just wide and Stephane Sessegnon blazed horribly over from a corner.

Januzaj was introduced at half-time in place of Shinji Kagawa, but it was the visitors who forged ahead when Amalfitano surged towards goal and cut infield before lifting an impudent finish over David De Gea.

The Baggies' celebrations were quickly cut short, however, as Rooney whipped a free-kick between the visitors' wall and a cluster of onrushing players to level the scores within three minutes, but to their credit, West Brom immediately hit back.

Jonas Olsson headed Amalfitano's corner against the United crossbar, and it was in-keeping with play when Berahino lashed a 20-yard effort past De Gea with 23 minutes remaining.

The home support briefly thought United had levelled when substitute Marouane Fellaini slid home Nani's cross, but the Belgian was correctly flagged offside and, after a late surge in which Myhill beat away Carrick's shot and Januzaj fizzed an effort past the top corner, the Reds were beaten.

Culled from Manutd.com

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