Milutin Osmajic’s equaliser earned Preston an opening-day point in a 1-1 draw at QPR in the west London side’s first match under new head coach Julien Stephan.
Osmajic hauled Preston level after Ben Whiteman’s first-half own goal.
A draw was perhaps unsurprising given that QPR have not won their first game of the season since 2020 and Preston have not done so since beating them in 2018.
Rangers, without a number of injured players, went ahead after 41 minutes courtesy of a mixture of brilliance from Karamoko Dembele and good fortune.
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Milutin Osmajic celebrates after equalising for Preston at Loftus Road
Dembele did superbly on the left flank, nutmegging Jordan Storey and holding off Thierry Small before sending the ball across the face of the six-yard box, where Andrija Vukcevic attempted to cut out the danger only for the ball to then ricochet off team-mate Whiteman and into the net.
Both teams had threatened before that, with Lewis Gibson heading narrowly wide from a cross by Small, who also had an effort saved by Rangers keeper Joe Walsh.
At the other end, Kwame Poku fired over from close range after being found by Ilias Chair’s cross, Dembele headed over – also from a Chair cross – and keeper Daniel Iversen saved strikes from Dembele and Brazilian left-back Esquerdinha, who was making his debut.
The hosts deserved their half-time lead but Preston hit back just three minutes into the second half.
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Milutin Osmajic equalises for Preston with a lovely finish in their Championship clash with QPR.
Rangers were undone by a long kick from Iversen, and Osmajic, who netted 15 goals last season, strolled through and lobbed Walsh to open his account for this season.
Having provided the assist for the equaliser, Iversen then kept his side on level terms by diving to his left to push away a venomous left-footed strike from Dembele.
Walsh, meanwhile, had a let-off when he fumbled Stefan Thordarson’s low cross and Osmajic’s goal-bound follow-up was blocked by Sam Field.
On-loan Tottenham youngster Alfie Devine was lively for Preston after his second-half introduction, while Rangers substitute Kealey Adamson fired wide from long range, but both teams struggled to create chances in the final stages despite plenty of endeavour.
Preston boss Paul Heckingbottom will be encouraged by a solid start to the campaign for his team, who defended well.
Stephan, who deployed young midfielder Kieran Morgan as a makeshift right-back, will be hoping to get the likes of striker Michael Frey and captain Jimmy Dunne back from injury sooner rather than later.
The managers
QPR’s Julien Stephan:
“I think we did very well, especially in the first half. The players did very well and I like the different movements that we showed. In possession and out of possession it was very good.
“With one point I am not happy, I am not disappointed, I am in the middle.
“I would prefer to win this game but I think we will be able to win these kind of games.
“We had a lot of energy for the first half. It was more difficult in the second half but the players gave everything. They tried to score the second goal.”
Preston’s Paul Heckingbottom:
Preston boss Paul Heckingbottom suggested he will look to ban players from working with personal trainers after forward Daniel Jebbison missed the game.
Jebbison was recently signed on loan from Bournemouth, but he faces a spell on the sidelines with an ankle injury – apparently sustained during fitness work undertaken away from the club.
“I’m angry about it. It’s a growing trend in football where they work with people outside – they have their own people,” said Heckingbottom. “It’s an accident, I get it, but it’s not happening again with Preston players.
“These guys work with players and they post it all over social media and want to promote their business. They’re happy to take the money (but) don’t give us any money back when they injure players in their sessions. They’ll not be posting on social media that Jebbo’s out.
“I’m really angry about that. Really angry. It’s for the right (reasons) – it’s professional players trying to better themselves. I get that.
“My anger is with the people who work with them and don’t suffer when they injure players. It was just some gym work and he’s rocked his ankle. It was a total accident. It’ll be a couple of weeks out.”