Rumarn Burrell scored 10 goals last season, but had not netted since January
Rumarn Burrell struck twice as Queens Park Rangers claimed a 2-1 victory over Cardiff City to climb to second in the early-season Championship table.
Rangers went ahead in scruffy fashion late in the first half when a corner was not cleared and Burrell's shot deflected in off Yousef Salech.
Jamaica forward Burrell, who had not scored since January, then doubled the advantage with a much sharper finish as the hosts dominated for a spell at the start of the second period.
Cardiff gave themselves hope of a comeback when Perry Ng drilled home emphatically from just inside the area 15 minutes from time, but Rangers held on to make it 10 points from the first four league games of 2026-27.
While Julien Stephan's team are only behind early leaders Swansea City on goal difference, Cardiff drop to 19th having seen their unbeaten league start come to an end.
Brian Barry-Murphy's side are without a victory in four second-tier games following last season's promotion from League One.
Rangers caused Cardiff plenty of problems during an open contest, with Jimmy Dunne heading narrowly wide and Alfie Lloyd also coming close before Nicolas Madsen's corner brought the opening goal.
This time Dunne's header hit Alex Robertson and Burrell benefited, with Salech's inadvertent touch sending the ball into the net.
Cardiff had their moments too, with Jack Moylan and Perry Ng forcing saves from Pierce Charles and Cian Ashford heading wastefully wide before the break.
Perry Ng celebrates his first goal of the season
Burrell's second goal came when he surged on to Ronnie Edwards' through-ball and found the far corner as Cardiff were ruthlessly exposed after losing possession in midfield.
At that point Cardiff were wobbling, with Burrell missing a chance for a third goal - and to put the contest to bed - when a ricochet fell to him in the area but he shot wide of the far post.
That miss meant Ng's thumping left-footed effort set up a tense finish, but the Bluebirds rarely looked like conjuring an equaliser.
Analysis: Rangers buoyant as Bluebirds' wait for a win goes on
The end of the transfer window had been quiet for both these clubs, with Rangers getting their business done early and Cardiff missing out on the late deals Barry-Murphy had hoped to get over the line.
There are some among Cardiff's support who feel the club did not do enough in the summer window as they look to re-establish themselves at Championship level following a year away in League One.
This result will do nothing to lighten the mood, with Cardiff now taking the search for a maiden league triumph to Portsmouth this weekend.
Rangers, meanwhile, will head into their weekend meeting with Middlesbrough in buoyant mood.
The London club were not tipped by many as potential promotion contenders before the season started, but it has been a rousing opening for a club who finished the previous campaign in uninspiring fashion.
'A game like this could be four or five goals' - reaction
QPR head coach Julien Stephan:
"I think it was a funny game because two teams wanted to create some danger with different styles of play.
"We created a lot of chances today again, especially after the second goal scored, and this is probably the moment we should kill the game.
"I enjoyed the last 15 minutes because we needed to show more resilience and it's a part of football as well. When you don't kill the game, sometimes you have to show different values and the players showed great values in the last 15 minutes.
"It's something positive even if we have a big margin to be more clinical, because probably a game like this it could be four or five goals if we are demanding."
Stephan: 'I think it was a funny game'
Cardiff head coach Brian Barry-Murphy:
"Very disappointed, naturally. I didn't think we were at our best in the first half, we didn't quite have the level technically we normally have.
"But disappointed to concede when we did. Try as hard as we did in the second half, we couldn't get it back.
"We knew how dangerous they would be on the counter-attack. To play the way we want to play, you have to be good technically.
"In the first half our intensity wasn't where it would normally be and as such we gave the ball away in dangerous situations, and in the second half that continued.
"The players gave everything in the end to get back into it, but it just didn't happen."
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