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As it happenedended1550269900

Watford ride their luck to defeat QPR and advance to FA Cup quarter-finals

Relive all the action from Loftus Road

Tom Kershaw
Friday 15 February 2019 21:07 GMT
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Watford progressed to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup with a hard-earned 1-0 victory over QPR, despite being outplayed at Loftus Road.

Although their team selection again appeared to show a club for whom the competition is not a priority, Etienne Capoue’s gift of a goal put Watford to within one victory of reaching the final four at Wembley – after their Championship hosts had wasted enough chances to build a convincing lead.

Toni Leistner had a brilliant chance to rescue a deserved draw for Rangers in the closing stages but skewed his tap-in wide from all of two yards as the second ticked away.

Relive all the action below.

Please wait a moment for the live blog to load.

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Welcome to The Independent's live coverage of QPR vs Watford, with both teams bidding for a place in the FA Cup quarter-finals.

Tom Kershaw15 February 2019 19:05
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And the teams are in. First up, the home side:

Tom Kershaw15 February 2019 19:11
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Meanwhile, Watford make five changes to their starting line-up:

Tom Kershaw15 February 2019 19:12
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It's Heurelho Gomes’ 38th birthday today and Jack Pitt-Brooke spoke to the cult hero ahead of what could possibly be his last game in a Watford shirt:

Tom Kershaw15 February 2019 19:29
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QPR manager Steve McClaren spoke to BT Sport ahead of the game: 

We have to compete. We need to stay in the game. The key is [Troy] Deeney and [Andre] Gray up front. Can our backs handle them? In the front two we have an outlet. The first thing is making sure the Watford players know they will be in a game. We want to be putting crosses into the box.

Tom Kershaw15 February 2019 19:38
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Watford midfielder Will Hughes: 

It is one of the best runs I have been on. It is a good chance for us tonight. There is something special about it [the FA Cup] with the teams who play in it. I'm not taking it for granted tonight. A lot of the Premier League teams have been knocked out by lower league opposition. It's a big chance for us tonight but they will be thinking the same.

Tom Kershaw15 February 2019 19:46
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A minute's applause is now being held at Loftus Road to honour 1996 World Cup legend Gordon Banks.

Tom Kershaw15 February 2019 19:48
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And we're underway!

Tom Kershaw15 February 2019 19:50
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5': QPR 0-0 Watford

It's a scrappy start as neither team manages to take an early foothold. Watford, though, are clearly the slightly more composed.

Tom Kershaw15 February 2019 19:55
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9': QPR 0-0 Watford

QPR are beating Watford to the second balls, but they're struggling to turn tackles into counter attacks.

Watford look to exploit the right-wing via Will Hughes, but the pass into the box is errant and we're still awaiting are first dangerous opening of the game.

Tom Kershaw15 February 2019 19:59

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