Adam Nagy and Benik Afobe off the mark for Bristol City

Posted Sunday, August 18, 2019 by PA

Adam Nagy and Benik Afobe netted their first goals for Bristol City in a 2-0 Championship win over QPR at Ashton Gate.

The hosts took a 35th-minute lead when Afobe challenged for an aerial ball in the Rangers box and it dropped for Nagy to net with a low right-footed half-volley from a central position 15 yards out.

It was 2-0 after 59 minutes, Rangers goalkeeper Joe Lumley making a hash of an attempted volleyed clearance. The ball dropped to Andreas Weimann inside the box and he hooked it into the path of Afobe, who fired home from 10 yards.

It was a first win of the campaign for Lee Johnson’s team, who took their chances against lively opponents lacking a cutting edge.

Rangers were looking to follow up their penalty shoot-out win over City in the Carabao Cup last Tuesday night and began on the front foot.

Jordan Hugill put in the first goal attempt in the 12th minute, sending a left-footed volley from the edge of the box high over the bar from Matt Smith’s pass.

Eberechi Eze shot wide from distance as City took time to get into their stride.

Nagy’s goal was City’s first shot on target and rewarded the Hungary international, signed from Bologna, for an impressive first-half display.

Still Rangers looked dangerous going forward and Eze burst into the box only to want too many touches and send the ball out for a goal-kick.

A flare-up between Bright Osayi-Samuel and City’s Tommy Rowe just before the break saw the home player go down having appeared to be struck in the face. Referee Robert Jones decided a yellow card was sufficient for the Rangers midfielder.

The visitors could feel hard done by to be behind at half-time having contributed fully to a game of few scoring opportunities.

City had to make a change at the interval, goalscorer Nagy being replaced by another recent recruit Han-Noah Massengo.

Again Rangers began more brightly, with Hugill shooting over from an Osayi-Samuel cross.

Osayi-Samuel then broke clear down the right, only to shoot into the side-netting.

It was all Rangers as Hugill forced a fine diving save from Dan Bentley with a header that looked bound for the top corner.

But it was City who struck again thanks to Lumley’s error and Mark Warburton’s team somehow found themselves two down.

Both managers had used all three substitutes by the 72nd minute and City’s Massengo was close to a third goal soon after when his header was deflected wide.

Teenager Massengo, signed from Monaco, impressed as his side held out with reasonable comfort for three welcome points.