Brazilian right-back Rafael da Silva scored a stunning 25-yard effort as Manchester United overcame Julio Cesar’s struggling QPR side 2-0 at Loftus Road on Saturday afternoon.
Rafael, 22, opened the scoring for his side midway through the first-half to add impotus to what had been a fairly placid affair until that point.
With Julio Cesar having palmed the ball well clear from a Robin van Persie effort, Rafael charged forward to connect with a purely struck right-foot volley to leave the keeper helpless.
Minutes later, though, the Brazilian was called into decisive action at the other end, clearing off the line from a goalbound Christopher Samba header.
Immediately, the former Fluminense full-back was on hand to launch a counter-attack from the right with a long diagonal ball for striker van Persie. Only a fantastic Julio Cesar save denied the Reds a second before half-time.
Julio Cesar, who was on good form once more, would eventually concede a second to a late Ryan Giggs goal, but it was the younger of the two Brazilians on show who would steal the headlines.
