Unlucky Argyle Still Chasing Opening League Win
Plymouth Argyle remain winless in the EFL Championship four games into the new season after Wayne Rooney’s side found themselves out of luck in the most recent league fixtures.
After a chastening loss to Sheffield Wednesday on the opening weekend of the campaign, the Vertu Motors-backed side had picked up a first point of the campaign at home to Hull City and headed to London chasing three points on the road against QPR.
The home side took the lead early on however, when a corner from Karamoko Dembele was nodded into the net beyond Conor Hazard by Michael Frey with just three minutes on the clock.
Argyle equalised when Morgan Whittaker ended his goal drought with a first strike since March, rifling a shot into the net from 25 yards out just before the half hour mark.
If Plymouth hoped that would provide a launchpad to fight for victory, things quickly went the other way when Adam Forshaw was dismissed for a second booking just minutes after Whittaker’s goal.
It meant the Pilgrims had to go into defensive mode and despite QPR having no fewer than 30 shots – and Argyle also having Freddie Issaka dismissed late on – Rooney’s side held on to take a well-earned point.
Argyle made nine changes for the mid-week trip to Watford in the EFL Cup, where Mileta Rajovic scored twice to earn the home side a place in round three, before the league programme continued at home to Stoke City.
It marked the first time that former boss Steven Schumacher had returned to Home Park since his departure last season.
Whittaker was unsurprisingly the main threat in front of goal for the home side as Argyle created plenty of chances but as the game wore on, so Stoke appeared to be more dangerous as Hazard was forced into a number of smart saves.
Michael Obafemi – on loan from Burnley – went close to his first Plymouth goal with 15 minutes left to play only for Viktor Johansson to pull off a smart save, and it proved to be crucial when Stoke stole the points late on thanks to Million Manhoef.
Plymouth return to action after the international break with a home game against league leaders Sunderland on 14 September.
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