Late goals earn Sheffield Wednesday vital victory over QPR

Posted Sunday, December 17, 2023 by PA

Late goals from Bailey Cadamarteri and Anthony Musaba gave Sheffield Wednesday a vital 2-1 win over Queens Park Rangers at Hillsborough.

Bambo Diaby’s first-half own goal had put Rangers on course for three points on the road but Cadamarteri equalised in the 86th minute before Musaba won it for Wednesday in stoppage time.

The result leaves both teams in the Championship relegation zone but Wednesday cut the gap to Rangers to four points.

Wednesday manager Danny Rohl made three changes to the team that lost 3-1 at Norwich, with Di’Shon Bernard, Pol Valentin and Marvin Johnson coming in.

QPR boss Marti Cifuentes made five changes to the side that drew 0-0 at home to Plymouth, with Jake Clarke-Salter, Paul Smyth, Elijah Dixon-Bonner, Reggie Cannon and Sinclair Armstrong joining the starting XI.

Problems off the pitch for Wednesday continued, with fans marching in protest at Dejphon Chansiri’s running of the club before the game.

It was a cagey opening 45 minutes with very little in the way of clear-cut chances. Wednesday captain Barry Bannan whipped in a free-kick from the left but Callum Paterson could not find the target.

The away side broke the deadlock in the 37th minute. Ilias Chair struck from distance and Diaby headed into his own net to give QPR a narrow lead going into the interval.

In the first act of the second half, the home fans thought they were level from Will Vaulks’ corner but referee Andy Davies blew for a foul.

Substitute Lyndon Dykes could only flick over the bar from Kenneth Paal’s cross. Bannan then had a go from distance but opposition skipper Asmir Begovic was at full stretch to deny him.

Wednesday brought on Djeidi Gassama and John Buckley during the second half to try and get back in the game as Paterson was carried off on a stretcher.

Sam Field had a huge chance to seal victory for QPR but Cameron Dawson got down low to keep the home side in it and it proved to be a huge turning point.

The Owls equalised when Gassama crossed from the left and 18-year-old Cadamarteri was there to claim his third goal in four Championship games.

Just as it seemed the game was destined to finish level, Musaba scrambled in after the ball hit the post in the fourth minute of injury time to send the Owls faithful crazy and give them all three points.