Jaydon Banel's late strike sealed a dramatic 3-2 win for Derby over QPR, keeping their playoff aspirations alive in the Sky Bet Championship. The visitors twice came from behind, with Oscar Fraulo and Sondre Langas scoring equalizers before Banel's 88th-minute winner. Harvey Vale and Richard Kone had put QPR ahead, but Derby's persistence paid off.
The win was a rare away triumph for Derby and sets them up for a tense final weekend, where they will be watching sixth-placed Wrexham's match against champions Coventry with interest. QPR, meanwhile, suffered their third consecutive defeat and are without a win in five games. The hosts had started strongly, with Vale opening the scoring after 13 minutes.
However, Derby equalized out of nowhere in the 25th minute through Fraulo's deflected shot. QPR regained the lead after the interval, but Langas' header and Banel's late winner turned the game on its head. The visitors' win was sealed when Banel cut in from the left and fired into the far corner, leaving QPR to lament a frustrating defeat. QPR's Marti Cifuentes expressed frustration, stating that his side had played some of their best football of the season but failed to capitalize on their chances.
Derby manager John Eustace praised his team's resilience and the impact of his substitutes, including Banel, who made a significant difference in the game's final stages.