Without a goal since the start of the season, Ivorian striker Richard Koné scored a hat-trick in 15 minutes as Queens Park Rangers thrashed Swansea City 5-0 on Saturday 24 October 2026 at Loftus Road.
It was on Saturday 24 October 2026 that Richard Koné broke his duck. The Ivorian striker of Queens Park Rangers scored a hat-trick in the space of 15 minutes against Swansea City, in the Londoners’ emphatic 5-0 win at Loftus Road on the 12th matchday of the Championship.
A performance that stands in stark contrast to his start to the season: before this game, he had yet to score in 6 Championship appearances in 2026/27, according to All Football.
A one-sided afternoon
QPR gave their opponents no respite. Swansea City conceded five goals, including Koné’s hat-trick, and went down heavily. Jimmy Dunne also scored, taking the Londoners’ tally to 4-0 by half-time, The Guardian reports.
According to Bucks Free Press, it is one of the fastest hat-tricks in recent EFL history. In 15 minutes, the Abidjan-born forward turned a game QPR already had firmly in their grasp. The win also lifts the Londoners up the table, after their 3-0 defeat to Birmingham City on the previous matchday, according to All Football.
Matos acknowledges the rout
In the Welsh camp, the disappointment was not hidden. Swansea City head coach Vítor Matos admitted on the club’s official website that his team were far below the expected level.
The Portuguese coach’s assessment is damning, given the scale of the scoreline. It highlights a performance that leaves little room for excuses.
Stéphan had a hunch
At Loftus Road, Koné’s success did not come entirely as a surprise. QPR head coach Julien Stéphan explained in a press conference that he had sensed his striker would rediscover his scoring touch, West London Sport reports.
Signed in 2025 from Wycombe Wanderers, the player, born on 15 July 2003 in Abidjan, had made a subdued start in his new colours. His hat-trick against Swansea changes the picture.
There is no time to savour it: QPR move straight on to the 13th matchday of the Championship, against Sheffield United the following weekend. A chance to see whether this was a one-off flourish or the start of a run for the Ivorian striker.