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It’s been 10 years since Portsmouth and Reading shared 11 goals, a hat-trick and a missed penalty

If goals are the currency of football, this match was rich.
If goals are the currency of football, this match was rich. If goals are the currency of football, this match was rich.

There are seven scorelines that have occurred just once in Premier League history, and Portsmouth’s 7-4 triumph over Reading in 2007 is one of them.

In fact, it’s been a full decade now since 11 goals went in at Fratton Park that day – and with nine different goalscorers it was certainly eventful.

But even that stat doesn’t tell the full story.

One missed penalty, two own goals, one hat-trick and 90 minutes of pure chaos resulted in the 7-4 win for Pompey, who finished eighth ahead of Manchester City in the 2007/08 season.

Benjani was the hat-trick man, his goals putting Portsmouth 4-2 up, while own goals from Ivar Ingimarsson and Sol Campbell added to the tally.

Then Reading manager Steve Coppell said after the match: “There were 11 goals in the game and there could have been more. There was no indication at half-time that it was going to explode into life like that.”

Sulley Muntari takes a penalty for Portsmouth against Reading
Sulley Muntari takes a penalty for Portsmouth against Reading (Jonathan Brady/PA Archive/PA Images)
(Jonathan Brady/PA)

Unfortunately for the Royals, exactly three months later they suffered a 6-4 defeat at Tottenham – not the tightest of defences.