Aston Villa 2 QPR 2: Cisse performance delights Hughes

Mark Hughes heaped praise on Queens Park Rangers new-boy Djibril Cisse after the French striker starred in the Londoners’ draw at Aston Villa.

The visitors took an early lead at Villa Park when Cisse opened his QPR account with a 12th-minute strike, before Stephen Warnock’s own-goal on the half-hour mark doubled the Londoners’ advantage.

But Alex McLeish’s side struck back through Darren Bent before the break and Charles N’Zogbia then denied QPR a precious three points with an emphatic finish in the 78th minute.

“We’re delighted that Cisse has had such an instant impact so early in his QPR career,” said Hughes.

“You saw his quality tonight in tight areas, where he was able to use his pace and power and that will be effective for us in the course of the season.”

Cisse made the breakthrough after 12 minutes in sensational fashion as the former Liverpool striker unleashed a first-time drive past Villa goalkeeper Shay Given.

And the visitors appeared to have secured victory when Cisse’s fellow new recruit Taye Taiwo whipped in a dangerous cross which Warnock headed past his own keeper.

However, Villa responded with Bent meeting Alan Hutton’s low ball to halve QPR’s lead on the stroke of half-time and N’Zogbia completed the comeback with 12 minutes remaining when the midfielder volleyed past Paddy Kenny to rescue a point.

“I felt the lads let themselves down in the first half, and the fans, and it was not typical as an extension of me,” said Villa boss McLeish.

“It was slow and QPR couldn’t believe their luck such was generosity for the goals.

“The second half was much better and we could have won it and had a number of penalty claims. We need that performance in the second half from everybody, every single minute of every single game.”