Middlesbrough climb to second as Lankshear strikes early at Loftus Road | OneFootball

Middlesbrough beat Queens Park Rangers 1-0 at Loftus Road to climb from 11th to second in the Championship.

In the 20th minute, Will Lankshear tapped in from close range after Callum Brittain's delivery, the forward's finish proving decisive for the visitors.

Before the break, Pierce Charles twice kept the hosts in touch, thwarting Riley McGree and Will Lankshear. After the restart, Radek Vítek produced a flurry of saves to deny Paul Smyth, Dennis Cirkin and Rumarn Burrell as Queens Park Rangers pressed for an equaliser.

Queens Park Rangers lost Illias Chair to injury early on and later introduced Tariq Lamptey, Glen Kamara and Nicolas Madsen in a triple change that shifted the tempo. Harvey Vale then struck the left post (77.).

Queens Park Rangers tallied 16 attempts and 12 corners but lacked a finish. Boro matched the 16 attempts and put six on target, with Vítek making five saves and the back line clearing their lines 42 times.

Next, Queens Park Rangers visit Charlton Athletic. Boro travel to Crystal Palace in the EFL Cup.