On This Day in Football: 29th September

29th September 1971

On this day in 1971, Chelsea Football Club etched their name into the annals of European football history with a record-breaking performance. Competing in the European Cup Winners’ Cup, Chelsea faced Jeunesse Hautcharage of Luxembourg at Stamford Bridge. The match concluded with a staggering 13-0 victory for the home side, marking the highest score ever recorded by an English club in a European competition. This emphatic win completed a 21-0 aggregate triumph over their opponents. Peter Osgood was the standout performer of the night, finding the back of the net five times. This match remains a significant milestone in Chelsea’s European exploits.

29th September 2007

Fast forward to 2007, and another remarkable footballing feat unfolded, this time in the Premier League. Portsmouth and Reading faced off at Fratton Park in a match that would set a new record for the most goals scored in a Premier League fixture. The 20,102 spectators in attendance witnessed an extraordinary display of attacking football, as Portsmouth emerged victorious with a 7-4 scoreline. At half-time, Portsmouth held a narrow 2-1 lead, but the second half saw a flurry of goals that kept fans on the edge of their seats.

The match featured nine different goalscorers, with Portsmouth’s Benjani Mwaruwari netting a hat-trick. The game also included two own-goals and a penalty, while another penalty was saved. This high-scoring encounter remains one of the most memorable in Premier League history. Interestingly, Reading came close to replicating this scoreline just three months later when they lost 6-4 to Tottenham Hotspur.