Swansea hammer Hoops again

Michu bagged a brace as Swansea eased to victory over QPR
9 February 2013

Michu grabbed two goals as Swansea inflicted a 4-1 defeat on relegation-threatened QPR at the Liberty Stadium.

The Swans had triumphed 5-0 at Loftus Road on the opening day of the season and early strikes from Michu and Angel Rangel set them on their way.

Substitute Bobby Zamora pulled a goal back for the Rs, only for Pablo Hernandez to restore Swansea's advantage with an excellent finish. QPR were then denied a clear penalty as referee Neil Swarbrick failed to spot a blatant handball by Ashley Williams, and Michu rubbed salt into the wounds when he added his 18th of the season.

The opener came in the eighth minute. Nathan Dyer took advantage of the space in front of him to get away a shot, and when Julio Cesar could not hold it Michu was on hand to guide a looping shot in off the outside of his boot and end a run of six games without a goal.

Cesar kept out the forward's low shot from Chico Flores' incisive pass a few minutes later, but it proved a brief respite as Rangel doubled the lead. Wayne Routledge played the full-back into plenty of space and he slotted his second goal of the season after Cesar could only parry his initial effort.

But Swansea were dealt a blow when they lost Flores in the 33rd minute. The centre-half went in low to make a header and appeared to turn his ankle as he did so and required prolonged treatment before being carried off, with Kyle Bartley his replacement.

Hoops boss Harry Redknapp, deeply unimpressed with the first 45 minutes, sent on Esteban Granero and Zamora for Shaun Derry and Jamie Mackle, and within three minutes his side had a lifeline. Swansea left-back Ben Davies gifted the ball to Adel Taarabt, and when Michel Vorm could not hold his shot Zamora was on hand to tap in.

But QPR's joy was shortlived as Hernandez struck Swansea's third just two minutes later. Michu picked out the winger in space on the left, and the former Valencia man did the rest, outfoxing Nedum Onuoha before getting away a shot across Cesar to find the net courtesy of the inside of the far post.

It got worse for QPR when they were denied a clear penalty in the 56th minute. Swansea skipper Williams clearly handled Andros Townsend's cross, but Swarbrick and his assistants inexplicably missed it, to the fury of the Rangers' bench.

Bartley cleared Stephane Mbia's shot off the line in the confusion, and Swansea piled on the pain when Michu got his second at the end of a sweeping move. Vorm, Rangel and Kemy Agustien linked to find Hernandez in space, and his slide-rule pass got Michu goal side of Christopher Samba to finish.

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