Marlon Pack's injury time goal proved to be too little, too late at Portman Road, where first half strikes from Jaden Philogene and George Hirst helped Ipswich to a 2-1 victory.
There were 5 changes to the side that lost 2-0 at home to Sheffield Wednesday last Saturday, with Yang Min-hyeok, Márk Kosznovszky, Luke Le Roux, Josh Knight, and Josef Bursik all making their first league starts.
The Tractor Boys took the lead inside the opening ten minutes through Jaden Philogene, who sliced the ball with his right foot, which hit the inside of the post, before bouncing into the back of the net to make it 1-0.
Pompey had a chance to claw back an equaliser when Yang Min-hyeok placed a late ball into the back post, which was met by the head of Zack Swanson, but Alex Palmer calms caught the ball.
Min-hyeok then made another encouraging run off the back of Segečić’s ball down the left wing, leaving himself one-on-one with Palmer, who again coolly collected the ball.
Ipswich then inevitably doubled their lead when Leif Davis linked up with Hirst, who simply had to tap the ball home past Bursik to make it 2-0 moments before the interval.
HALF-TIME: Ipswich Town 2-0 Portsmouth
Sindre Walle Egeli almost netted home a third, but the Championship record signing had his effort tipped over the post by a deflection off the boot of Connor Ogilvie and out for a corner.
Davis’ corner was cleared by Portsmouth, where it met the boot of Philogene, but the former Aston Villa winger’s effort went just wide of Burisk’s goal.
There was a double substitution for Pompey just past the hour mark, with both Marlon Pack and John Swift coming on for Luke Le Roux and Adrian Segečić.
John Mousinho made a further two changes, with Florian Bianchini and Mackenzie Kirk coming on for Márk Kosznovszky and Yang Min-hyeok with just over 15 minutes remaining.
Marlon Pack was not far off catching Palmer off his line when he thumped the ball from the halfway line at goal, but the midfielder’s effort went wide of the net.
Town substitute Iván Azón came close to making it three and opening his Ipswich account late on, but the Spanish striker’s effort went just wide of the goal.
Pack did manage to claw a goal back for Pompey in the 91st minute of the three added on, when he headed in John Swift’s corner past Palmer to make it two-one in the dying moments of the game.
FULL-TIME: Ipswich Town 2-1 Portsmouth
Next up: It’s back to Fratton Park for Portsmouth, who welcome Paulo Pezzolano’s Watford this Wednesday evening in a 19:45 kick-off.
The last time the Blues and the Hornets met was Easter Monday, when a first-half goal from Colby Bishop not only sealed 3 points that day, but also mathematically the win secured Championship status that day too.
Can Pompey get back to winning ways? In a week that will see John Mousinho’s side play at home twice in the space of a week, with Middlesbrough closely looming 2 days later.
Ipswich: 1. Palmer (GK), 19. Furlong, 26. O’shea (C), 4. Kipre, 3 Davis (15. Young), 12. Cajuste (32. Núñez), 5. Matusiwa, 8. Egeli ( 20. McAteer), 23. Szmodics, 11. Philogene (47. Clarke), 9. Hirst (31. Azón) (Formation: 4-2-3-1)
Unused subs: 28. Walton (GK), 14. Taylor, 18. Johnson, 29. Akpom
Goals: Philogene 10’, Hirst 41'
Bookings: Egeli 65’
Manager: Kieran McKenna
Portsmouth: 26. Bursik (GK), 22. Swanson, 5. Poole, 4. Knight (14. Matthews), 3. Ogilvie, 21. Dozzell, 16. Le Roux (7. Pack), 47. Min-hyeok (25. Kirk), 10. Segečić (8. Swfit), 18. Kosznovszky (11. Bianchini), 9. Bishop (C) (Formation: 4-2-3-1)
Unused subs: 30. Killip (GK), 2. Williams, 17. Bowat, 24. Devlin
Goals: Pack 90+1’
Bookings: Dozzell 7’, Le Roux 33’
Head coach: John Mousinho
Referee: Andrew Kitchen
Venue: Portman Road
Attendance: 29,141 (including over 1,800 Pompey fans)
You can also catch up with this afternoon's Pompey Live: Extra-Time podcast, on which Jake Smith, Kirsty Roxanne and David Howes reflected on the Blues' 2-1 defeat to Ipswich Town at Portman Road.
Jake Smith will be back with The Football Hour on Monday (September 29th) evening with 2 more Blues fans to further review today's action.
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