MX23RW : Tuesday, November 26 19:06:38| >> :600:293786:293786:
Nov 22, 2019 at 7.45pm UK at ​Craven Cottage
Attendance: 18,320
Fulham
2-1
QPRQueens Park Rangers
Kamara (27', 64')
FT(HT: 1-1)
Hugill (3')

Scott Parker "really pleased" for Aboubakar Kamara after match-winning brace

Scott Parker
© Reuters
Parker was rewarded with a goal in each half as Fulham came from behind to beat their west London rivals and climb up to fourth.

Scott Parker insisted both Fulham and Aboubakar Kamara have put last season's controversy behind them after the striker scored twice to sink QPR 2-1.

Kamara's Craven Cottage career looked over in January after a series of bust-ups, one of which saw him arrested, banned from the club and then sent on loan to Turkish side Malatyaspor.

Yet Cottagers boss Parker has reintegrated Kamara into the squad and, with 12-goal top-scorer Aleksandar Mitrovic suspended, turned to the Frenchman to lead the line against Rangers.

Parker was rewarded with a goal in each half as Fulham came from behind to beat their west London rivals and climb up to fourth in the Sky Bet Championship table.

Parker said: "I'm really pleased for him. He has not been a problem since I stepped into the role.

"You have to manage him differently but he gives you everything and he topped off his performance with two really good finishes. The perception is very different to the reality.

"What happened last season with Abou is well documented but he has come back into the squad with the blessing of the players. They are fully on board.

"He has not been involved much this season, and he has his moments, but he is a grafter and he works hard and he deserved his goals."

Rangers were ahead inside three minutes, when Todd Kane drilled a low centre across goal and Jordan Hugill, on a season-long loan from West Ham, arrived at the far post to steer the ball into the net.

But when Denis Odoi crossed from the right Kamara – making only his second start of the season – headed his first Fulham goal since netting the consolation in a 4-1 defeat at Arsenal on New Year's Day.

Fulham's tails were up and five minutes later Tom Cairney fed Ivan Cavaleiro, who got beyond Grant Hall but crashed his shot against the near post.

Their pressure told in the 65th minute when Rangers goalkeeper Joe Lumley's poor clearance fell straight to the feet of Stefan Johansen.

The Norwegian midfielder played the ball through to Kamara, who took a touch before beating Lumley inside the far post.

QPR boss Mark Warburton said: "It's very frustrating to be leaving with nothing.

"We know about the quality in the Fulham squad, but we had to be brave and you saw us being brave.

"We got the early goal, created chances, matched a high-quality team in possession and been very, very good – but we've lost 2-1.

"In that first period we could have been two or three up. Had we left with a point, I'd have been frustrated."

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Jubilant Fulham manager Scott Parker pictured on September 27, 2019
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Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool13121030111937
2Leicester CityLeicester139223182329
3Manchester CityMan City1391337142328
4Chelsea138232819926
5Wolverhampton WanderersWolves134721816219
6Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd134631612418
7Burnley135352018218
8Arsenal134631819-118
9Manchester UnitedMan Utd134541915417
10Tottenham HotspurSpurs134542119217
11Bournemouth134451617-116
12Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton134361519-415
13Crystal Palace134361118-715
14Newcastle UnitedNewcastle134361120-915
15Aston Villa134271920-114
16Everton134271320-714
17West Ham UnitedWest Ham133461623-713
18Norwich CityNorwich133191328-1510
19Southampton132381331-189
20Watford13157826-188

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