LONDON, 20 August 2006 — Reading enjoyed a memorable first taste of the top flight yesterday when they came from 2-0 down at home to beat Middlesbrough 3-2 on the opening day of the Premier League season.
That match was one of eight that produced 24 goals and three red cards, with champions Chelsea and Manchester United both still to play today.
Arsenal’s new era at the Emirates Stadium started with a 1-1 draw against Aston Villa, where 17-year-old England international Theo Walcott finally made his debut and created the Londoners’ late equalizer.
Sheffield United, promoted behind Reading last season, drew 1-1 at home with Liverpool but Watford, the third new side, lost 2-1 at Everton.
Tottenham Hotspur, who looked good in their preseason games, went down 2-0 to two early goals at Bolton Wanderers whose Spanish midfielder Ivan Campo scored their second with a 35-meter thunderbolt.
Portsmouth thrashed Blackburn Rovers 3-0 with the visitors ending with nine men while Newcastle United beat Wigan Athletic 2-1 and West Ham United beat Charlton Athletic 3-1.
Reading fans had spent the summer itching to see their club, formed in 1871, playing at the top level for the first time but it appeared to be all going wrong after Stewart Downing and Aiyegbeni Yakubu had Middlesbrough 2-0 up after 21 minutes.
However, two goals in two minutes by Dave Kitson and Steve Sidwell made it 2-2 at halftime and Leroy Lita, a halftime replacement for Kitson, won it for the new boys in the 55th minute.
It also seemed to be going wrong for most of the 60,000 fans watching Arsenal’s first game in their new Emirates Stadium when Olof Mellberg’s thumping header after 53 minutes had Martin O’Neill’s Villa ahead.
However, the introduction of Walcott in the 73rd minute added real zest to Arsenal and it was his cross that was converted by Gilberto for the equalizer six minutes from the end.
The new season had begun at lunchtime when Sheffield United marked their first top-flight appearance for 12 years by holding Liverpool at Bramall Lane.
United stunned the 2005 European champions a minute into the second half with a Rob Hulse header.
Liverpool leveled with a 70th minute Robbie Fowler penalty after Steven Gerrard had been tripped — a decision that left United manager Neil Warnock, as usual, fuming at the referee.
Portsmouth debutant Nwankwo Kanu scored twice after coming on as a substitute for the last half-hour but missed the chance of a hat trick when he missed an injury-time penalty.
There were also two for Bobby Zamora as West Ham came from behind to beat London rivals Charlton while Everton’s £8.6 million ($16.2 million) record signing Andy Johnson got off the mark with the opener against Watford.
