Portsmouth and QPR Battle to Exciting 1-1 Draw in Boxing Day Championship Clash

Boxing Day Drama at Fratton Park

QPR captain Jimmy Dunne rescued a point to keep his side in the hunt for the play-offs with a 1-1 draw at Portsmouth on Boxing Day. The match took place on 26 December 2025 at 15:00 UTC at Fratton Park stadium, with both teams entering the fixture in contrasting league positions but desperate for three points.

First Half Dominance for Pompey

Portsmouth started brightly in front of a sell-out home crowd. Terry Devlin opened the scoring for the home team after a series of rebounds in the box, sparking the fans’ excitement at Fratton Park. The goal came in the final moments of the first half, giving Portsmouth a crucial 1-0 advantage at the break. QPR manager Julien Stephan admitted the first half was very difficult, noting it was not good enough in terms of intensity, quality, and that his team lost a lot of duels.

QPR’s Second-Half Resurgence

The visitors emerged transformed after the interval. QPR were brighter in the second half, with Richard Kone forcing a save before captain Dunne equalised, heading in Nicolas Madsen’s corner. QPR continued to look the more dangerous, with Kone bringing a decent save from Nicolas Schmid after a sharp turn and shot. Neither side did enough to win it and had to settle for a share of the Boxing Day spoils.

Significance for Both Sides

As a result of their fine form, Julien Stephan’s side are sitting just a point adrift of sixth-placed Millwall ahead of the Boxing Day fixtures, maintaining their push for promotion. For Portsmouth, the point keeps them battling to avoid the relegation zone. Portsmouth headed into Boxing Day with renewed belief after bouncing back from three consecutive defeats with four points from two matches. The draw ensures both teams remain in contention for their respective season objectives as 2025 draws to a close.