Slovenia striker Zan Celar opened his QPR account in stunning fashion and added another late on to lift them off the bottom of the Sky Bet Championship with a 2-0 victory at fellow strugglers Cardiff.
Celar has had a difficult time since joining QPR in July from Lugano, where he scored 40 goals in 95 games and topped the Swiss Super League charts last season.
The 25-year-old broke his scoring duck on his 20th appearance in English football after his confidence had taken another blow against Stoke on Saturday when missing the target from the penalty spot.
But Celar’s painful drought ended after 40 minutes at the Cardiff City Stadium after Jimmy Dunne flicked on a long throw.
There appeared little worry for Cardiff as Celar took a touch with his back to goal but Celar swivelled in the same movement and arrowed an unstoppable shot into the top corner.
It was a goal worthy of settling any game and Celar added the icing in stoppage time by running clear of the Cardiff defence and chipping goalkeeper Jak Alnwick.
QPR’s second victory of the season and their first since winning at Luton on August 30 moved them above Portsmouth, whose home clash with Millwall was postponed following a power cut at Fratton Park.
QPR arrived in the Welsh capital having scored only 13 goals in 16 games – the lowest tally in the Championship – and the reason for such a measly return was clear inside 15 seconds.
Sam Field spotted Paul Smyth moving into space but the finish was not as smooth as the run and Alnwick provided a solid near-post barrier.
Cardiff’s best opening of a patchy first period came in the fourth minute after Rangers struggled to clear a corner.
Perry Ng pounced on a loose ball in a congested penalty area but goalkeeper Paul Nardi stood tall and Callum Robinson failed to convert the rebound.
Callum O’Dowda, shifted into a more advanced left-sided position, threatened before Dunne snuffed out the danger and Nardi comfortably held a skimming effort from Joe Ralls.
QPR were neat and tidy with on-loan Japanese midfielder Koki Saito an energetic presence, but the cutting edge to open up Cardiff was lacking.
Alnwick held Harrison Ashby’s effort after good work from Saito before Celar’s bolt from the blue gave them a half-time advantage for the first time this season.
Smyth went close to extending QPR’s lead after the restart before Cardiff turned up the heat on a bitterly cold evening.
Nardi denied Robinson twice and pushed out Rubin Colwill’s firm 25-yard strike before Celar underlined his new-found belief.
Cardiff remain in 21st place and one point above the relegation zone after a run of three defeats and a draw from four games.
