SC Wiener Neustadt vs QPR

QPR's half-time rotation of all 10 outfield players was a double-edged sword. It gave head coach Stephan valuable minutes for his squad but also invited Wiener Neustadt back into the game. Toifl's goal in the 50th minute — the first QPR had conceded in pre-season after a clean sheet against First Vienna — threatened a fightback. But Kone's late penalty, won and converted with composure, extinguished any hope of a comeback and underlined the Championship side's superior quality.

Rumarn Burrell — Scored the opening goal inside six minutes and looked sharp throughout his first-half shift. The striker's movement caused consistent problems for the Wiener Neustadt defence.

Aaron Mbengue — Doubled QPR's lead with a well-taken finish in the 30th minute and was a physical presence in the first half. The Senegalese defender also contributed to the clean sheet during his time on the pitch.

Richard Kone — Although substituted at half-time, Kone was restored to the action and made the decisive contribution from the penalty spot in the 89th minute. The Ivorian's composure from 12 yards sealed the result.

Player of the Match: Rumarn Burrell — A goal, intelligent movement and a constant threat before his planned half-time substitution.

QPR's 10 half-time substitutions — more than in most competitive fixtures — make raw statistical comparisons unreliable, but the shape of the game is clear. The Hoops scored twice in the opening 30 minutes and controlled possession against a side three divisions below them. Wiener Neustadt's only shot of note was Toifl's 50th-minute goal, which came shortly after the mass changes. The single yellow card (QPR, 77th minute) reflected a clean, pre-season contest with no ill-discipline.

This was QPR's second pre-season friendly — their first, a 0-0 draw with First Vienna on 11 July, ended goalless. A first win of the summer builds momentum ahead of further friendlies, with a reported fixture against Wycombe Wanderers (21 July) and Austria Vienna to follow. The Championship season begins in August, with Stephan's side hoping to improve on consecutive 15th-placed finishes and push for a top-eight spot.

Wiener Neustadt, who finished third in the Austrian Landesliga (fourth tier) last season, begin their competitive campaign on 9 August against Langenrohr.

A professional, workmanlike performance from QPR against modest opposition. The first-half XI showed better cohesion and chemistry, while the second-half unit — entirely new — was less fluent but still managed to see out the win. Burrell's early goal and Kone's late penalty were the standout moments, but the real value for Stephan will be the 90 minutes spread across 22 players.