QPR's Chris Willock scored on his first appearance of the season
QPR earned their first points of the season as they held off a strong Middlesbrough fightback to claim a narrow win at Loftus Road.
Chris Willock scored a spectacular opener, driving forward and shrugging off two defenders before smashing a shot into the top corner before James Dunne headed in Ilias Chair's corner to double the lead.
It was 3-0 when Lyndon Dykes stooped to head in Stefan Johansen's free-kick before Matt Crooks' bullet header gave the visitors some hope before the break.
Marcus Forss' close-range finish on his first start made it 3-2 and an equaliser was chalked off when Paddy McNair's effort was ruled out for offside before Boro's Darragh Lenihan was sent off in stoppage time.
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The sides produced nine goals in their two league meetings last season and the pattern continued in a goal-laden opening hour.
Rangers failed to land a shot on target in their league opener at Blackburn and manager Michael Beale's three changes worked as Willock and Dunne both found the net inside 30 minutes.
Rangers had lost four of their final five home matches in a dismal end to last season, but in Beale's first match in charge at Loftus Road it was a very different story with a stunning first-half display, Dykes capping it by ending his 13-game goal drought.
Boro have won just one of the last nine meetings, but gave themselves real hope when Crooks powered in a header and then crossed for Forss to make it 3-2 with more than 30 minutes left to play.
The visitors were much improved after the break and only the assistant referee's flag denied McNair from hauling them level from Ryan Giles' cross.
But late on it was the hosts who went closest to the game's sixth goal on the counter as Albert Adomah flashed an effort wide before Lenihan saw red when his foul denied Macauley Bonne a clear run on goal.
- Line-upsMatch StatsLive Text
Line-upsQPR
Formation 4-2-3-1
1Dieng2Kakay4Dickie3Dunne22Paal15Field6Johansen7Willock8Amos10Chair9Dykes
- 1Dieng2KakayBooked at 90mins4Dickie3Dunne22Paal15Field6JohansenBooked at 77minsSubstituted forDozzellat 82'minutes7WillockSubstituted forAdomahat 74'minutes8Amos10ChairSubstituted forHämäläinenat 88'minutes9DykesSubstituted forBonneat 87'minutes
Substitutes
- 16Hämäläinen17Dozzell18Bonne23Masterson25Shodipo32Walsh37Adomah
Middlesbrough
Formation 3-5-2
1Steffen15Dijksteel26Lenihan27Bola2Jones25Crooks16Howson8McGree3Giles21Forss18Watmore
- 1Steffen15DijksteelSubstituted forMcNairat 45'minutes26LenihanBooked at 90mins27BolaBooked at 73mins2Jones25Crooks16Howson8McGree3Giles21ForssBooked at 17minsSubstituted forSmithat 68'minutes18WatmoreSubstituted forAkpomat 45'minutes
Substitutes
- 6Fry14Smith17McNair20Boyd-Munce23Roberts29Akpom31Finch
Referee:Josh SmithAttendance:15,796Match StatsHome TeamQPRAway TeamMiddlesbroughPossessionHome41%Away59%ShotsHome10Away12Shots on TargetHome5Away3CornersHome5Away5FoulsHome12Away12Live TextPost update
Match ends, Queens Park Rangers 3, Middlesbrough 2.
90'+8'Full Time
Second Half ends, Queens Park Rangers 3, Middlesbrough 2.
90'+7'Post update
Offside, Middlesbrough. Zack Steffen tries a through ball, but Matt Crooks is caught offside.
90'+5'Post update
Jonny Howson (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
90'+5'Post update
Foul by Osman Kakay (Queens Park Rangers).
90'+2'Dismissal
Darragh Lenihan (Middlesbrough) is shown the red card.
90'+2'Post update
Foul by Darragh Lenihan (Middlesbrough).
90'+2'Post update
Macauley Bonne (Queens Park Rangers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
90'+2'Post update
Offside, Queens Park Rangers. Osman Kakay tries a through ball, but Albert Adomah is caught offside.
90'+1'Booking
Osman Kakay (Queens Park Rangers) is shown the yellow card.
90'Post update
Offside, Middlesbrough. Marc Bola tries a through ball, but Matt Crooks is caught offside.
88'Substitution
Substitution, Queens Park Rangers. Niko Hämäläinen replaces Ilias Chair.
87'Substitution
Substitution, Queens Park Rangers. Macauley Bonne replaces Lyndon Dykes.
84'Post update
Corner, Queens Park Rangers. Conceded by Darragh Lenihan.
84'Post update
Attempt blocked. Lyndon Dykes (Queens Park Rangers) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Albert Adomah.
82'Substitution
Substitution, Queens Park Rangers. Andre Dozzell replaces Stefan Johansen because of an injury.
80'Post update
Attempt missed. Albert Adomah (Queens Park Rangers) right footed shot from the right side of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Ilias Chair following a fast break.
77'Booking
Stefan Johansen (Queens Park Rangers) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
77'Post update
Jonny Howson (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
77'Post update
Foul by Stefan Johansen (Queens Park Rangers).
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Source: bbc.com