Daily Mirror - 19.08.2019

19.08.2019 DAILY MIRROR

mirror.co.uk/sport/football^15

DM1ST

FERRET PUSCAS

BRISTOL CITY 2

Nagy 35, Afobe 59

QPR 0

BY RICHARD LATHAM

BENIK AFOBE looks in the mood

to reignite his career at Ashton

Gate.

Signed on a season-long loan

from Stoke City after a frustrating

spell in the Potteries, the

26-year-old former Bournemouth

and Wolves striker (above)

marked his home debut with a

goal and loved every minute of

being a hero again.

“The atmosphere was

fantastic,” said a beaming Afobe.

“The fans were singing my name

and that was great. The

philosophy here is about keeping

the ball, moving it quickly and

creating chances, which suits me.

“I love playing with Andi

Weimann. His work-rate is

unbelievable and he’s a good lad.”

Afobe’s 59th-minute volley, set

up by Weimann after Rangers

goalkeeper Joe Lumley had made

a hash of a clearance, built on

Adam Nagy’s 35th-minute strike

and secured City’s first win.

Head coach Lee Johnson said:

“Benik is hungry and has a point

to prove. I told him we would get

him playing his best football as

long as he is prepared to commit

himself to working hard.”

Rangers boss Mark Warburton

declined to criticise Lumley for his

error and preferred to focus on

his team’s lack of end product.

“Footballers at this level are

paid big money because their

mistakes are witnessed by

thousands of people and the

media,” he said. “They are only

human and I was more concerned

that we looked a bit wobbly for a

few minutes after conceding.

“Overall, we got into numerous

good positions without making it

count and that is something we

have to learn from.”

NOW HE’S NO

POTTER, BEN

FAR HOTTER

MOTM BENIK AFOBE (BRISTOL CITY)

BRISTOL CITY: Bentley 8, Moore 7,

Kalas 8, Baker 7, Hunt 6 (Pereira 58,

6), Brownhill 6, Nagy 8 (Massengo

46, 7), Palmer 6 (Eliasson 72, 6),

Rowe 6, Weimann 7, Afobe 8

QPR: Lumley 5, Rangel 6 (Kane 65,

6), Hall 7, Barbet 7, Manning 7, Osayi-

Samuel 8, Amos 7, Cameron 7, Smith

6 (Chair 59, 6), Eze 6 (Wells 65, 6),

Hugill 6

REF: Robert Jones AT T: 21,654

IN ASSOCIATION

WITH

53% POSSESSION 47%

6 SHOTS ON TARGET 7

5 SHOTS OFF TARGET 2

4 CORNERS 2

1 OFFSIDE 0

6 FOULS 13

0 1 CARDS 2 0

MATCH STATS

REF: Andy Davies ATT: 14,252

missed his chance to claim the

match ball, Swift sealed an

emphatic victory in the 83rd

minute with a cool finish.

And Reading could even

afford to miss a late penalty as

Smithies saved from sub Yakou

Meite.

Warnock said: “It was a

tough one to take. The first

goal came from our own free-

kick – such bad defending.

“I don’t want to name

names, but people will be

disappointed when they look

at it.

“We have been very poor

away from home – and losing

Marlon Pack like that was

another injury blow.”

Police colleagues paying their

own tribute.

Cardiff were forced into an

early change after 23 minutes

when Marlon Pack limped off.

And Reading were ahead

two minutes later through

Puscas. After leaving Will

Vaulks in his

wake, he cut in

from the right

and curled a

wonderful left-

foot shot past

Alex Smithies.

When the

second goal

came five

minutes before the break, it

was from a fine cross by John

Swift with Puscas tucking the

ball away at the near post.

Warnock threw on Callum

Paterson and Isaac Vassell at

half-time.

Cardiff ’s own big-money

signing, £5.5m Robert Glatzel,

fluffed his lines on the hour –

dragging a shot wide – before

bringing a flying save from

Rafael Cabral. But after Puscas

lot of goals in this league. The

new players did well.

“And I am very confident for

the future. We deserved the

points today.”

Puscas, who missed a great

late chance for a hat-trick,

said: “I am very happy, and

most of all for

the win and

getting the first

points of the

season.

“I really

wanted to score

the hat-trick but

I was a bit

unlucky – I

should have put my shot to the

other side.”

Warnock, 70, said: “Puscas is

someone we were looking at

• and he probably was the
  difference today. That’s what
  you pay for.”
  Before kick-off, a minute’s
  silence was held for PC
  Andrew Harper, who was
  tragically killed last week while
  responding to reports of a
  burglary – with Thames Valley

By George, Warnock bitten by £7million one that got away

BY HECTOR NUNNS

GEORGE PUSCAS showed

Neil Warnock what he

missed by putting Cardiff

to the sword.

Reading’s new £7million

striker was also being hunted

by the Bluebirds this summer.

And Cardiff boss Warnock

(left) was left ruing Puscas’

decision to join the Royals

instead after the 23-year-old

Romanian scored twice on his

home debut.

Reading swaggered to their

first points this term to climb

off the bottom of the table.

Boss Jose Gomes said:

“George is the kind of player

that only has the opponents’

goal in his mind.

“Every time he receives the

ball he looks for the goal. He’s

a goalscorer and as long as he

keeps healthy he will score a MOTM^ GEORGE PUSCAS (READING)

READING: Cabral 7, Miazga 7,

Morrison 7, Moore 7, Gomes 7,

Yiadom 7, Ejaria 8 (Rinomhota

85), Swift 8, Richards 7, Joao 7

(Meite 80), Puscas 9 (Boye 82)

CARDIFF: Smithies 5, Bacuna 5,

Flint 6, Morrison 6, Bennett 5,

Ralls 6, Vaulks 5 (Vassell 46, 6),

Pack 6 (Nelson 23, 6), Hoilett 5

(Paterson 46, 6), Glatzel 5,

Mendez-Laing 5

READING 3

Puscas 25, 40, Swift 83

CARDIFF 0

HIT & BLISS

Puscas fires in the

second and (below)

shows his delight