QPR boss Marti Cifuentes ‘extremely happy’ for Rayan Kolli after brace

QPR boss Marti Cifuentes hopes Rayan Kolli’s first senior goals prove to be “the first of many” after the youngster played a starring role in a 3-0 victory over Norwich.

The win was Rangers’ first at home this season and lifted them out of the Sky Bet Championship relegation zone.

Kolli, 19, was brought on as an early substitute after striker Zan Celar went off injured.

The youngster’s contract expires next summer and he has so far not agreed a new deal.

He has been overlooked for much of the season despite Cifuentes’ attacking options being limited by injuries to key players.

But he certainly took his chance to impress, heading in Rangers’ second goal and then slotting home the third.

“I’m extremely happy for Rayan. It was not only the goals but that he understood what was needed,” said Cifuentes.

“Now hopefully he will understand what he needs to keep improving as a player and it’s the first of many.

“He’s a talented player and since I came here we tried to give him some opportunities and he unfortunately picked up injuries last season.

“Then this season some things have been slowing the process of him getting minutes again. Today he got a chance and football is about being in the right place at the right moment.

“He must understand what is required to take the next step to be a pro footballer and to play at this level.”

Rangers, bottom of the table a couple of weeks ago, have now gone four matches without defeat and three without conceding a goal.

Finally getting the elusive first home win seemed like another big step in the right direction.

“I’m happy for the players. They have been working hard to get this and the fans have waited too long,” said Cifuentes.

“Today we are very happy, but we need to be aware that on Wednesday (at home to Oxford) we have an important game.

“Enjoy tonight, but then tomorrow we go again and make sure that we are ready for Wednesday.”

Norwich boss Johannes Hoff Thorup revealed that he invited his players to give their opinions on the team’s poor away form.

The Canaries have lost three of their past four matches on the road and have not won away since September.

“The best thing today was actually the time we spent in the dressing room after the game, where I asked the boys to speak up and say what it is exactly that we need when we travel away from home,” Thorup said.

“Every team we play against will try to make it a hard fight and try make it a game with a lot of set-pieces and stops in the game.

“We have to deal with that better. We have to accept that’s just a fact and that going away from home will be one big fight.

“I asked them for some thoughts and reflections, because it’s so easy for them to say ‘He (a team-mate) should have done better’, and it’s bigger than that.

“We need to address it now and need to make sure that Tuesday night (away to Portsmouth) is better.

“What’s important for us is to find out how we can be better. That’s the only thing that matters to me.”