Ilias Chair Stars in QPR's Victory at Fratton Park
Ilias Chair lit up Fratton Park with a ruthless display as QPR stunned Portsmouth to claim only their second win at the ground in three decades.
The 28-year-old playmaker, back to something close to his sharpest after last season’s injury-hit campaign, struck twice and laid on another in a devastating first-half spell that ripped through Portsmouth’s early optimism.
Devlin ignites Fratton – briefly
Portsmouth arrived with ambition and started like a side intent on backing it up. They pressed high, moved the ball quickly and pinned QPR back.
Conor Shaughnessy nodded over in the opening exchanges, and debutant Luke Brooke-Smith forced a save, signs that the home side were finding joy around the box.
The breakthrough came on 15 minutes and it was worth the wait. QPR failed to properly clear a free-kick, the ball eventually worked to Ebou Adams, who spotted Terry Devlin in acres of space more than 30 yards out. Devlin stepped onto it and unleashed a swerving right-footed drive that flew beyond his Northern Ireland team-mate Pierce Charles. Fratton Park roared; Portsmouth looked in control.
That was as good as it got.
Chair turns the game on its head
QPR had come to counter. Once Portsmouth handed them an opening, they tore into it.
On 33 minutes, slack defending from the hosts undid their bright start. Harvey Vale lifted a clever dink into the danger area, Portsmouth goalkeeper Nicolas Schmid and his back line froze, and Chair ghosted in to stab home from close range. One chance, one goal. The mood shifted.
Julien Stephan’s side sensed weakness and struck again seven minutes later. Breaking at speed, Chair slid a neat pass into Koki Saito, whose shot took a deflection off Devlin and wrong-footed Schmid. From trailing and under pressure, QPR now led and looked utterly composed.
The pressure finally told once more in first-half stoppage time. Amadou Mbengue surged down the right, unchecked, and whipped in a low cross. Chair, completely unmarked, guided in his second of the afternoon. Three shots on target before the interval, three goals. Clinical didn’t quite cover it.
Portsmouth waste chances, QPR stand firm
Portsmouth had time to respond but squandered the opportunities that came their way.
Shaughnessy, so often a threat from set pieces, headed a free chance wide. Substitute Abu Kamara was gifted a sight of goal when Charles kicked the ball straight to him, only to produce a tame effort that the QPR keeper gathered.
Charles then stood up well to deny Marko Milovanovic, while Rocco Shein dragged a shot when he should have demanded more of the visiting goalkeeper. Late on, Josh Murphy, making his return after groin surgery, flashed a dangerous effort across goal but found no finishing touch.
Portsmouth’s intent never quite matched their execution. QPR’s did. Chair, missing for four months with a calf problem as Rangers’ previous campaign unravelled, looked every inch the difference-maker they had lacked.
If this is the version of him they keep on the pitch, Fratton Park might not be the only unhappy hunting ground they rewrite this season.
