Sunderland will head into the Sky Bet Championship play-offs without a win in six matches after losing 1-0 to managerless QPR at the Stadium of Light.
The Black Cats failed to recover from Nicolas Madsen’s calm finish in the fifth minute and that resulted in a fifth straight defeat for Regis Le Bris’ side.
Sunderland had already secured fourth spot before this match, and a dramatic final day’s action in the Championship means they will face Coventry in the play-off semi-finals.
QPR, despite surprisingly placing head coach Marti Cifuentes on garden leave this week, displayed why they have climbed away from relegation trouble this season under interim bosses Kevin Betsy and Xavi Calm.
After securing the early lead, the Hoops created a couple of other openings but defended well to claim maximum points and finish seven points clear of the drop zone in 15th.
Now Sunderland must find a way to recover from this end of season slump before playing the first leg at Coventry on Friday, May 9.
For a game where the result had little riding on it at the Stadium of Light, there was plenty for fans to talk about following Cifuentes’ exit and Sunderland’s poor run of form.
The hosts would have been desperate to end their losing steak but soon found themselves trailing when Harrison Ashby found himself in space to cross down the left.
His ball into the area was controlled by Madsen before he picked his spot to the left of goalkeeper Anthony Patterson to put QPR a goal up.
After that Sunderland had possession for the rest of the half without finding a breakthrough. The only real chance that was created was a Eliezer Mayenda flick from Enzo Le Fee’s delivery, but the QPR goal remained unbreached.
And, despite allowing Sunderland to have more of the ball, QPR should have done better with another chance midway through the half.
Jonathan Varane had managed to break in behind the Sunderland defence but from a tight angle he dragged an effort across the six-yard box rather than test Patterson.
Other than those there was very little to concern either goalkeeper before the half-time whistle.
Sunderland were quick out of the blocks after the restart and should have tested Joe Walsh when unmarked Patrick Roberts’ downward header from Le Fee’s cross bounced off target.
But QPR kept plugging away too and could have had a second when Jimmy Dunne, who spent time on loan on Wearside, headed wide from a free-kick with the hour approaching.
The home fans’ frustrations grew as the second half wore on and that was heightened by a few decisions from referee Anthony Backhouse that went QPR’s way.
Sunderland substitute Dan Ballard had a header saved by Walsh in the closing stages, otherwise QPR stood tall to see the game out and end the season with a win.
[(Angers SCO) Strength]: 1. Angers SCO performed underwhelmingly in Ligue 1 last season. They surely hope to secure a better ranking this season. Facing newly-promoted Paris FC, they are motivated to take all 3 points in this game.2. Angers SCO signed goalkeeper Herve Koffi from RC Lens and midfielder Louis Mouton from AS Saint-Etienne in the transfer window.3. Angers SCO received 4 wins, 1 draw, ...
[(FC Nantes) Strength]: 1. FC Nantes finished 13th last season, with a serious situation of avoiding relegation. They aim to keep their survival in the new season. Facing Paris Saint-Germain FC, earning points or even a victory would solidify their foundation for avoiding relegation. With decent home form, FC Nantes hope to capitalize on home advantage to boost morale and confidence, making them h...
[(Espanyol) Strength]: 1. Espanyol finished 14th with 11 wins, 9 draws, and 18 losses in last season's La Liga. They scored 40 goals and conceded 51 in 38 league games. In the offseason, the team signed new players to boost their lineup. They are strongly motivated in the first home game of the new season.2. Espanyol's young forward Roberto Fernandez has completed his permanent transfer to Espanyo...
[(Athletic Bilbao) Strength]: 1. To secure their first win this season, Athletic Bilbao are undoubtedly motivated in this game.2. On July 4, Athletic Bilbao officially announced Nico Williams' contract extension until 2035, with his release clause increasing by at least 50% to over 87 million euros.3. Athletic Bilbao won 13 of the last 20 home games across all competitions, showcasing outstanding ...
[(Manchester United F.C.) Strength]: 1. As it's the opening match of the new season, Manchester United F.C. are highly motivated to secure their first victory at Old Trafford.2. Manchester United F.C. have focused their summer rebuild on the attack, spending heavily on a new trio of Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, and Benjamin Sesko, which should improve their offensive output.3. Manchester United F....
[(Nottingham Forest) Strength]: 1. This game is the first home match of Nottingham Forest in the new season, so the team will surely hope to start with a win.2. Nottingham Forest finished 7th with 19 wins, 8 draws, and 11 losses in the Premier League last season, once entering the top four.3. Nottingham Forest had a home record of 9 wins, 5 draws, and 5 losses in last season's Premier League, rank...
[(Chelsea F.C.) Strength]: 1. This summer, Chelsea F.C.'s most significant reinforcements came in the attacking line. Liam Delap and Joao Pedro joined early, participated in the Club World Cup, and quickly integrated into the team, both scoring goals. Meanwhile, young talent Estevao Willian, before his transfer, scored a stunning goal for Palmeiras against Chelsea F.C. in the same tournament. The ...
[(Gwangju FC) Strength]: 1. Gwangju FC's newly signed foreign forward Holmbert Fridjonsson made his K League 1 debut as a substitute in the last match and could be in line for a starting spot in this game.[(Gwangju FC) Weakness]: 1. Gwangju FC's foreign striker Jasir Asani is set to join Iranian club Esteghlal F.C. He missed the last league match due to an ankle injury and remains doubtful for thi...
[(Gimcheon Sangmu FC) Strength]: 1. Gimcheon Sangmu FC forward Park Sang Hyeok scored 8 goals in the league this season, becoming the most stable scoring point of the team.2. Gimcheon Sangmu FC drew 0-0 with Gangwon FC in the last league game on the road. They were unbeaten with 2 wins and 2 draws in the last 4 league games, revealing stable form.3. Gimcheon Sangmu FC scored 8 goals in the last 5 ...
[(Fagiano Okayama) Strength]: 1. Fagiano Okayama midfielder Hiroto Iwabuchi scored a brace in the last league game, helping the team take all 3 points.2. Fagiano Okayama's top scorer Takaya Kimurab scored a goal in the last league game, ending a nearly three-month goal drought as he found the net for the first time in seven games.3. Fagiano Okayama won 3-0 over Gamba Osaka in the last league game ...
- 1 Brentford Agree Deal to Sign Dango Ouattara From Bournemouth
- 2 TIPS - Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas VS Liga Deportiva Universitaria
- 3 Hummels snubs son for match with new model girlfriend
- 4 Agent of Real Madrid defender David Alaba responds to Saudi Pro League transfer speculation as Spanish giants ponder selling 33-year-old after injury woes
- 5 TIPS - Juventude VS Corinthians
- 6 TIPS - Club Necaxa VS Club Leon
- 7 TIPS - Villarreal VS Real Oviedo
- 8 TIPS - Atletico San Luis VS Cruz Azul
- 9 TIPS - Cambuur Leeuwarden VS FC Oss
- 10 Alexander Isak goes on STRIKE! Forward Refuses to Play Newcastle Opener as Liverpool Linger