Smyth’s Late Equaliser Secures Draw for QPR After Cirkin Red Card

By the Editorial Team · Sunday, September 20, 2026

Queens Park Rangers came from two goals down and a man disadvantage to secure a 2-2 draw against Preston North End, with Paul Smyth scoring a late equalizer. The result halted Preston’s momentum after a coaching change and highlighted QPR’s resilience despite a poor first-half showing.

Paul Smyth’s late goal secured a 2-2 draw for Queens Park Rangers (QPR) after they came from two goals behind against Preston North End on Sunday. The match took place at QPR’s home ground and saw the visitors take an early advantage before being reduced to ten men.

Preston’s Johnny Kenny opened the scoring after just 64 seconds, registering the fastest goal of the Championship season. Kenny, recently signed from Celtic, doubled Preston’s lead in the 26th minute with a composed finish following a defensive mix-up by QPR. However, QPR’s defensive struggles deepened when Dennis Cirkin was sent off in the 15th minute for a reckless challenge on Leo Leroy, leaving his team to play 75 minutes with a man down.

Despite being a player short, QPR fought back in the second half. Kwame Poku reduced the deficit in the 66th minute, scoring his first goal for Rangers. Both teams created further chances, with the match remaining tense in the final minutes. Paul Smyth ultimately completed the comeback with a powerful shot from outside the box in the 90th minute, earning QPR a valuable point.

QPR head coach Julien Stephan reflected on the match, expressing disappointment with his team’s first-half performance but praising their character and quality after the break. “The players produced an outstanding second half, with quality, diligence... things we missed in the first half,” Stephan commented.

Preston caretaker manager Jason Euell acknowledged mixed emotions about the result. While he was pleased with his players’ performance overall, he lamented the missed opportunity to secure a win and the impact of conceding twice despite having a numerical advantage. “I’m disappointed we had an opportunity to kill the game off which we didn’t take. Allowing ourselves to be overtaken against 10 men is disappointing. It’s a learning experience,” Euell said.

The draw leaves QPR with a point gained in a challenging fixture while Preston missed the chance to build momentum in their first match following the recent dismissal of their permanent head coach, Paul Heckingbottom. Both sides will look to improve as the Championship season progresses.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.