Ilias Chair Stars in QPR's 3-1 Victory Over Portsmouth
Ilias Chair walked back into the QPR side and ripped up Portsmouth’s script at Fratton Park, scoring twice and setting up another in a ruthless 3-1 away win that felt like a throwback to his best days.
For Rangers, it was only their second victory at this ground in three decades. It looked unlikely early on.
Devlin lights the fuse
Portsmouth started like a side with serious Championship ambitions. They pressed high, moved the ball quickly and had QPR pinned back.
Conor Shaughnessy headed over in the opening exchanges, and debutant Luke Brooke-Smith forced Pierce Charles into a save as the hosts swarmed forward.
The breakthrough came on 15 minutes and it was worth the wait. QPR failed to properly clear a free-kick, the ball dropped to Ebou Adams, and he rolled it into the path of Terry Devlin, loitering in space more than 30 yards out. Devlin didn’t hesitate. His right-footed strike swerved wickedly, flying past Northern Ireland team-mate Charles and into the net. Fratton Park roared. Portsmouth looked in control.
They weren’t.
Chair takes over
QPR had come to counter. They stuck to it. And when Portsmouth switched off, they were punished.
On 33 minutes, Harvey Vale lifted a simple, teasing ball into the heart of the box. What followed was chaos of the worst kind for the home defence. Goalkeeper Nicolas Schmid and his back line froze, rooted to the spot, and Chair ghosted in to stab home from close range. One chance, one goal. Portsmouth’s lead gone in an instant.
The equaliser rattled the hosts and emboldened Julien Stephan’s side. QPR smelled weakness and hit them again before the break.
Seven minutes later, they broke with precision. Chair drove at the Portsmouth back line and slipped in Koki Saito. The Japan international’s effort took a deflection off Devlin and wrong-footed Schmid. From being on top, Portsmouth were suddenly 2-1 down, undone by QPR’s second shot on target.
The visitors weren’t finished.
Deep into first-half stoppage time, the gameplan produced its most devastating move. Amadou Mbengue tore down the right flank and whipped a low cross into the box. Chair, completely unmarked, arrived at just the right moment and guided in his second of the afternoon. Three shots on target, three goals. Clinical barely covers it.
From 1-0 up and cruising, Portsmouth trudged off 3-1 down, stunned by the speed and sharpness of QPR’s counters and by the quality of a playmaker they never got to grips with.
Portsmouth waste their lifeline
The second half belonged to Portsmouth in territory and possession, but not where it mattered.
They carved out chances. They just didn’t take them.
Shaughnessy, so often a threat from set-pieces, wasted a golden opportunity with a free header that he steered wide. Substitute Abu Kamara then had a moment he will want back. Charles, under little pressure, kicked the ball straight to him, but the debutant’s tame effort allowed the QPR keeper to recover and save.
Portsmouth kept coming. Marko Milovanovic was denied by Charles, and Rocco Shein found space but failed to make it count with a poor finish. The frustration grew with every miss.
Josh Murphy’s return from groin surgery at least injected some late urgency. Coming off the bench, he flashed a dangerous effort across goal, close enough to stir the crowd but not close enough to change the scoreline.
A reminder of what QPR were missing
While Portsmouth’s profligacy told one story, Chair told another. Out for four months with a calf problem as QPR’s campaign unravelled in the second half of last season, he looked every inch the missing piece here: two goals, one assist, and the calmest head on the pitch whenever Rangers broke forward.
Portsmouth still talk about pushing on in their third Championship season. On this evidence, they have the energy and the structure. But until they show the edge that Chair and QPR brought to Fratton Park, talk of progression will remain just that.
