Preston North End drew 1-1 at Loftus Road on the opening day of the 2025/26 season

The first half-an-hour in the London sunshine saw both sides struggle to create anything of great note in the final third. Lewis Gibson flashed an early header wide for North End while Thierry Small - making his full debut - saw a tame, driven effort comfortably collected by Joe Walsh.

Returning PNE goalkeeper Daniel Iversen had made routine stops to keep out Kader Dembele and Esquerdinha; a teasing cross from Ilias Chair was just out of Kwame Poku’s reach too. The Rs had arguably had greater encouragement in attack though and, four minutes from time a burst of pace from Dembele led to the deadlock being broken.

The number seven skinned Jordan Storey and Small down the left, before seeing his drilled cross blasted into Ben Whiteman by Andrew Hughes - who attempted to clear first time. The ball cannoned into the shins of PNE’s captain and into the back of the North End net, from a couple of yards out.

Paul Heckingbottom’s side had to improve in the second half if they were to get back into the contest; it took just three minutes for them to draw level.

You would’ve got decent odds on the first assist of Preston’s season being provided by Iversen - the Dane’s darted kick carved QPR’s defence wide open and saw Milutin Osmajic race through on goal. When that happens, the outcome is fairly predictable.

Here the Montenegrin went for delicacy, instead of usual brute force, and produced a delightful, deft chip over the top of Walsh and into the back of the net. Not long after, Iversen had a significant part to play again - this time a strong left hand, to keep out Dembele’s fierce drive towards the bottom right corner.

Both sides huffed and puffed in the closing stages with Heckingbottom introducing Tottenham Hotspur loan man Alfie Devine - who signed on Friday. The midfielder was serenaded by the travelling faithful and provided some positivity in and around QPR’s box. There was, though, to be no further way through for either team, who shook hands on a point apiece; 45 more to go.

PNE starting XI: Iversen; Storey, Gibson, Hughes, Small (Lindsay 76’) (Offiah 89’), McCann, Whiteman (c), Thordarson (Frokjaer 60’), Vukcevic (Valentin 60’), Smith (Devine 76’), Osmajic. PNE unused subs: Walton, Carroll, Okkels.

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