QPR: Marti Cifuentes reveals Zan Celar hope after Cardiff City heroics | OneFootball

Marti Cifuentes is hopeful that Zan Celar's brace for QPR against Cardiff City can mark a turning point for the Slovenian forward

QPR manager Marti Cifuentes has lauded Zan Celar following Wednesday evening's 2-0 victory at Cardiff City, where the Slovenian striker finally scored his first goals for the club to bring home all three points.

The R's gained a huge victory over a sure-fire relegation rival in the Bluebirds, who did head into the clash as slight favourites with a home advantage and superior league position but failed to make those factors count.

In a scrappy and stiff showdown which seemed to reflect the positions of the two sides, QPR edged into the lead on the cusp of half-time as a volleyed effort from Celar found its way past Jak Alnwick and into the back of the net.

Cardiff set the tone throughout the second-half and enjoyed almost-uninterrupted dominance from an attacking standpoint, although they were unable to cash in on their sustained pressure as Paul Nardi made a string of impressive saves to deny Omer Riza's side. QPR had been pinned back for much of the evening but always appeared dangerous in transition and made Cardiff pay when Celar broke through on the counter attack before lifting the ball over Alnwick, sending the travelling supporters into raptures.

It's the type of result which could potentially be looked at as season-defining in due course for QPR, who marked their first league victory since August and managed to lift themselves off bottom spot, although 24th-placed Portsmouth do have two games in hand after seeing clashes against Blackburn Rovers and Millwall consecutively postponed.

Zan Celar breaks QPR goal drought against Cardiff City

There's no denying that summer signing Celar has flattered to deceive following his hotly-anticipated arrival from Swiss outfit Lugano, although it will be hoped that yesterday's brace can spark an uplift in momentum and fortunes.

Of course, the 19-cap Slovenian international had failed to score for QPR in any of the 19 appearances he made across all competitions before the trip to Cardiff, nine of which had been starts.

His confidence may well have been particularly low over the weekend, when he missed a penalty against Stoke City before being hooked for Alfie Lloyd on the hour mark as QPR fought back to earn a 1-1 draw with Narcis Pelach's side at Loftus Road.

Celar had been subjected to significant fan criticism but retained the trust of Cifuentes, who handed him a seventh successive starting berth against the Bluebirds. That choice ultimately paid dividends as Celar scored both goals to finally break his goal drought and inspire his side to a huge victory on the road, which could prove even more important as the season goes on given the close proximity between the two sides in the league table.

Marti Cifuentes' QPR, Zan Celar verdict following brace against Cardiff City

Cifuentes was delighted to see Celar finally open his goalscoring account against Cardiff, especially considering his penalty miss just days earlier.

The Spaniard said, via QPR's official website: "He has had some difficult days after missing the penalty on Saturday, in a game that we didn't win. Strikers live off confidence and scoring goals.

"He is still a young player who is playing in a new league and when you don't score in your first months, it's not easy.

"But he showed tonight that he's a good player - hopefully those two goals are the first of many."

It will be hoped, of course, that both QPR and Celar can use the emphatic evening in the Welsh capital as something of a springboard, as the side look to climb out of the relegation zone in the coming weeks. Celar was clearly lacking in confidence but should be full of momentum after inspiring QPR's first league victory in months, and he'll surely lead the line once again when they travel to high-flying Watford on Saturday afternoon.

A positive result at Vicarage Road is likely to prove even more difficult to attain, before QPR return to Loftus Road with a home double-header against Norwich City and Oxford United at the beginning of December.