Wigan Athletic and Queens Park Rangers battled it out to a 2-2 draw at the DW Stadium, extending the visitors' winless streak to a Premier League record 16 games to start the season. It's a match that both sides will have felt aggreived not to take more from -- the Latics dominated both chances and possession, while QPR failed to hold on to a 75th minute lead or exploit Wigan's personnel problems.
Wigan vs. QPR: Final score 2-2, McCarthy brace salvages draw for Latics
With essentially their whole back line injured or suspended, the hosts looked there for the taking, and QPR started by far the brighter as they applied some serious pressure on Ali Al-Habsi's net. But it was Wigan who took the lead when a partially-cleared corner fell to James McCarthy at the edge of the box, the midfielder's shot finding the back of the net via a deflection off Jamies Mackie.
The Latics' lead didn't last long after Ryan Nelsen bamboozled their defence with a diagonal run on a corner kick, planting Adel Taraabt's delivery firmly past Al-Habsi to make it 1-1 in the 26th minute. But from then on it was mostly Wigan -- Franco di Santo hit right at Robert Green when he should have scored, McCarthy missed a one-on-one chance and Jordi Gomez rattled the crossbar as the hosts laid siege to the QPR goal.
They didn't score, however, and were made to pay the price when lackadaisical defending gave the visitors a grand opportunity in the 71st minute. Adrian Lopez, under no pressure whatsoever, passed straight to Shaun-Wright Phillips ,whose low cross was rolled in by substitute Djibril Cisse for a 2-1 QPR lead.
They couldn’t hold on, and McCarthy was able to get his second when he was picked out in the centre of the box. His scuffed shot flew through a tangle of legs, leaving the unsighted Green helpless to prevent the equaliser. It was the hosts who were closest to finding a winner as time wound down, but eventually both sides would be forced to settle for a draw.
See More:
