Queens Park Rangers (QPR) fought back to secure a 1-1 draw against Portsmouth on Boxing Day, keeping their push for a Championship play-off spot alive. Jimmy Dunne’s second-half header cancelled out Terry Devlin’s early goal, leaving Portsmouth in the relegation zone and QPR ninth in the table.

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Portsmouth Dominate First Half

The home side started the match strongly, controlling possession and creating multiple chances. Conor Chaplin caused problems on the right wing, delivering dangerous crosses, while Harvey Blair provided width in the absence of the injured Josh Murphy.

Portsmouth’s persistence paid off just before halftime. A corner from Chaplin was scuffed away by Richard Kone, falling to Devlin, who fired home from close range to give the hosts the lead. Colby Bishop also had opportunities, heading against the near post and forcing a save from QPR keeper Ben Hamer.

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QPR Fight Back After the Break

Rangers improved significantly after halftime, capitalising on Portsmouth’s vulnerability at set-pieces. Nicolas Madsen delivered a precise right-wing corner, which Dunne met to score his third goal of the season with a well-timed header.

QPR threatened further, with Kone’s header saved and other efforts narrowly missing, but the match ended 1-1. Dunne’s equaliser maintained QPR’s strong recent form, with five wins in their last eight games.

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Managers’ Reactions

Portsmouth boss John Mousinho expressed frustration at conceding:

“We were excellent in the first half and well deserving of the lead… In the first 15 to 20 minutes of the second half we just didn’t do the things we’d done in the first half and were punished for that… We created enough to win the game, so it does feel like there was an opportunity to get three points.”

QPR head coach Julien Stéphan praised his side’s second-half performance:

“Two different halves. It was a very difficult first half for us… A poor first half, but a good reaction in the second. We scored and had two or three opportunities to score another one… It changed the momentum of the game a lot.”

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Key Performances

• Jimmy Dunne (QPR) – Scored the equalising header and led the team effectively from midfield.
• Terry Devlin (Portsmouth) – Opened the scoring with a composed finish and earned player of the match honors.
• Nicolas Schmid (Portsmouth) – Made crucial saves to keep his side in the game.
• Colby Bishop (Portsmouth) – Threatened with multiple headers and shots, but couldn’t find the net.

Final Score: Portsmouth 1–1 Queens Park Rangers

The result leaves Portsmouth still struggling in the Championship relegation zone, while QPR remain competitive in the race for the play-offs, continuing a run of strong form in recent matches.