Our prediction for this Championship match:
Queens Park Rangers and WBA square off against each other at Loftus Road in the opening match of the season. The Hoops aim to put an end to their three-game losing run in preseason, but they face a tough challenge against the Baggies. New signings Zan Celar and Jonathan Varane are likely to make their Queens Park debut against WBA.
West Brom, on the other hand, suffered a heavy 4-1 loss to Birmingham City in their last warm-up game. As both WBA and QPR will go for a win in the season opener, we are tempted to place our bets on both teams to score. In their last meeting in the English second tier the two sides played out a 2-2 draw. The likes of Ousmane Diakite, Joe Wildsmith, and Paddy McNair have joined the visiting side in the summer transfer window to date.
Highlighted Team (QPR):
Queens Park Rangers are well known as QPR. The capital club was founded in 1886 and Loftus Road Stadium is QPR’s ground. Loftus Road Stadium was opened in 1904 and the capacity of the venue 18,439. However, it has to be noted that no less than 35,353 spectators watched the game between QPR and Leeds on 27 April, 1974.
The Hoops finished the 1975/1976 First Division campaign in second position in the standings, just behind champions Liverpool. This is considered the club’s biggest success, but Queens Park Rangers made it to the FA Cup final in 1982 as well.
QPR were beaten by fellow capital club Tottenham Hotspur in the title game, but they did well to lift the League Cup trophy in 1967. Queens Park’s main rivals are Brentford, Chelsea and Fulham, but other clubs based in London are considered QPR’s rivals as well. The colour of QPR’s shirts is blue and white.