Josh Maja had an outstanding performance in West Bromwich Albion’s opening match against Queens Park Rangers, securing a hat-trick and leading his team to victory. The 25-year-old striker redeemed himself after a challenging previous season by scoring three goals to help his team come from behind and claim all three points.
Maja’s two headed goals and a spectacular close-range shot showcased his skill and determination, highlighting a strong team effort that indicated no lingering effects from last season’s playoff disappointment against Southampton. Despite Queens Park Rangers initially taking the lead, Maja capitalized on their defensive errors to secure three goals in a span of 39 minutes before and after halftime.
The first half saw both teams evenly matched, with Queens Park Rangers showing dominance in possession while creating more scoring opportunities. However, it was West Brom’s Maja who made the most of his chances, equalizing the score with a header off a cross from Torbjorn Heggem. Shortly after the break, Maja doubled his tally with another header from a well-placed cross by Tom Fellows, putting his team in the lead. His third goal, coming after a six-month injury layoff, sealed the victory for West Brom and left Queens Park Rangers unable to mount a comeback.
The win was a welcome relief for West Bromwich Albion amid financial constraints that have overshadowed the club in recent months. While QPR may have created several scoring opportunities with six shots on target, they were ultimately unable to overcome the strong performance from a West Brom side that narrowly missed out on promotion last season.
Overall, Maja’s hat-trick heroics set the tone for a promising start to the season for West Bromwich Albion, signaling their intent to compete at the top of the Championship. On the other hand, Queens Park Rangers will need to regroup and capitalize on their attacking prowess in future matches to secure positive results in the league.
