Sports

QPR beat Derby County 4-1 at Loftus Road

Rive News Research Desk

Published October 14, 2026 · 6 min read

Key takeaways

QPR beat Derby County 4-1 at Loftus Road on Wednesday. Lars-Jorgen Salvesen scored a late consolation goal for Derby.
Alfie Lloyd, Nicolas Madsen, Harvey Vale and Paul Smyth scored. Madsen scored from the penalty spot.
The win ended QPR's five-match winless run. Derby stayed in the relegation zone.

A football stadium with a green pitch — A general view of a football stadium with a green pitchPhotograph: Times / Wikimedia CommonsImage: Wikimedia Commons

QPR beat Derby County 4-1 on Wednesday, October 14, 2026. The game took place at Loftus Road in London. It was a Championship match, the second tier of English football. Lars-Jorgen Salvesen scored Derby's late consolation goal.

What happened

A fast start

The goals came early and often, according to Sky Sports. Alfie Lloyd opened the scoring in the 18th minute, according to Sky Sports. Boy Kemper set up the goal, according to Sportradar.

Four minutes later, Nicolas Madsen scored from the penalty spot, according to Sky Sports. A penalty is a free shot at goal from 12 yards. It follows a foul inside the box.

QPR had a 2-0 lead after 22 minutes, according to Sky Sports.

Derby lost Sondre Langas early, according to Sportradar. Ryan Nyambe replaced him, according to Sportradar. Derby still could not find a way back into the game.

QPR stayed on top for the rest of the half.

Three goals before the break

Harvey Vale made it 3-0 just before half-time, according to Sky Sports. QPR led 3-0 at the break, according to ScoreBat. Boy Kemper had an injury scare in the 33rd minute, according to Sportradar.

He returned to the game three minutes later, according to Sportradar. QPR went into half-time in full control of the match.

Derby made two changes at half-time, according to Sportradar. Henrik Meister and Lewis Travis came on, according to Sportradar. Mohammed Fuseini and David Ozoh went off, according to Sportradar.

The changes did not bring Derby a goal.

Smyth adds the fourth

Paul Smyth scored the fourth goal in the 68th minute, according to Sky Sports. Nicolas Madsen set up that goal, according to Sportradar. Madsen now had a goal and an assist in the game, according to Sportradar.

An assist means a pass that sets up a goal.

Derby pushed late and got a goal, according to Sportradar. Bobby Clark had a shot saved in stoppage time, according to Sportradar. Lars-Jorgen Salvesen scored in the 90th minute plus 10, according to Sportradar.

Stoppage time means extra minutes added for delays. The referee adds them at the end of each half. The final score was 4-1 to QPR, according to Sportradar.

The numbers behind the win

QPR had 56 percent of the ball, according to Sportradar. Possession means how much time a team holds the ball. QPR had 11 shots and Derby had 11 shots, according to Sportradar.

QPR put seven shots on target, according to Sportradar. Derby put seven shots on target, according to Sportradar. QPR goalkeeper Pierce Charles made six saves, according to Sportradar.

Both teams picked up yellow cards, according to Sportradar. A yellow card is a warning from the referee. Derby had three yellow cards, according to Sportradar.

David Ozoh, Sammie Szmodics and Carlton Morris were booked, according to Sportradar. QPR had two yellow cards, according to Sportradar. Harvey Vale and Glen Kamara were booked, according to Sportradar.

No player was sent off, according to Sky Sports. ScoreBat put QPR's expected goals at 1.58. Expected goals is a stat that rates the quality of chances. A higher number means better chances.

ScoreBat put Derby's expected goals at 0.7.

A large football stadium seen from above — A large football stadiumPhotograph: Dietmar Rabich / Wikimedia CommonsImage: Wikimedia Commons

Why it matters

QPR end the winless run

QPR came into the game without a win in five matches, according to Radio Times. Four of those games were draws, according to Radio Times. A draw means both teams share the points.

Each team gets one point for a draw. A win is worth three points. This win ended that poor run.

QPR climbed to 17 points from 10 games, according to ScoreBat. QPR drew 1-1 at West Ham on October 9, according to Sky Sports. QPR drew 2-2 with Preston on September 19, according to Sky Sports.

QPR drew 1-1 at West Brom on September 12, according to Sky Sports. QPR drew 0-0 at Charlton on September 9, according to Sky Sports. QPR lost 0-1 at home to Middlesbrough on September 5, according to Sky Sports.

QPR beat Cardiff 2-1 at home on September 2, according to Sky Sports. QPR manager Julien Stephan leads his side, according to Sportradar.

Derby sink deeper into trouble

Derby came into the game below the dotted line, according to Radio Times. The dotted line marks the relegation zone. The bottom three teams drop to a lower league.

Derby stayed on six points from 10 games, according to ScoreBat. Derby have now conceded in each of their last five matches, according to ScoreBat.

Derby's recent form was poor, according to Sky Sports. Derby drew 1-1 with Wrexham on October 10, according to Sky Sports. Derby drew 1-1 at Burnley on September 19, according to Sky Sports.

Derby lost 1-2 at home to Birmingham on September 12, according to Sky Sports. Derby lost 0-1 at home to West Brom on September 9, according to Sky Sports. Derby lost 0-3 at West Ham on September 5, according to Sky Sports.

Derby won 2-0 at Portsmouth on September 1, according to Sky Sports. Derby manager John Eustace leads the team, according to Sportradar.

More Championship action from the same night is in our Portsmouth vs Sheffield United report. In European football, see our Bodo/Glimt vs Borussia Dortmund report. Elsewhere in the Championship, Blackburn won 1-0 at Bristol City.

What happens next

QPR travel to Birmingham

QPR travel to Birmingham City on Saturday, October 17, according to Sky Sports. Kick-off is at 3:00pm, according to Sky Sports. QPR then host Swansea City on October 24, according to Sky Sports.

QPR will want to turn one big win into a steady run. A steady run means good results week after week.

Derby host Stoke

Derby host Stoke City on Saturday, October 17, according to Sportradar. Derby then travel to Sheffield United on October 24, according to Sportradar. Derby need points fast to climb out of danger.

The game was shown on Sky Sports+, according to Radio Times. Fans could also stream it on Sky Go or NOW, according to Radio Times.

QPR will hope this night marks a turning point. Derby must regroup fast before Stoke visit. The next round of games will show if this result changes either club's season.

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