Rumarn Burrell scored twice as Queens Park Rangers beat Cardiff City 2-1 at Loftus Road on Wednesday, a result that moved Julien Stéphan's side up to second in the Championship on 10 points from four matches. Perry Ng's second-half reply proved only a consolation, and the defeat was Cardiff's first of the season.
Burrell put QPR ahead in the 35th minute and doubled the lead in the 52nd, converting after a pass from Ronnie Edwards. Ng pulled Cardiff back into it in the 74th minute, finishing off an assist from Ollie Tanner, but Brian Barry-Murphy's side could not find a leveller.
Cardiff had much the better of the ball, 63.5% possession to QPR's 36.5%, and edged the corner count 4-3, but managed only three shots on target from nine attempts to QPR's four from a game-high 20. Tanner was booked for a foul in the 46th minute, and Ng picked up a caution of his own, for handball, in the 76th, after his goal. Both sides used all five of their permitted substitutions: QPR made four changes across the 70th and 71st minutes and a fifth in the 80th, while Cardiff made a double change at half-time and three further changes in the closing stages.
The result leaves Cardiff without a win from four league games and 19th in the table, after three draws to open the season. Barry-Murphy said afterwards he had moved on from a quiet summer transfer window, in which Cardiff signed only four players following promotion from League One. "It's in the past and there's nothing I can do now," he said. "We had a clear idea of who we wanted to bring into the club. I never felt anything but great backing from the club, but it wasn't possible." He added that he still believed in his squad: "I think we will do very well, but setbacks like this are part of the journey."