Pelle Mattsson was on target once for each side at Carrow Road as The Canaries and the Blues share the spoils in a 1-1 draw.
The draw means that John Mousinho’s side stay just one point above Leicester City, who drew 2-2 vs Preston North End at the King Power Stadium.
As well as Oxford United, who the Blues will welcome in a huge 6-pointer at Fratton Park on Easter Monday, after they were held to a 1-1 scoreline at home to Hull City.
There were five changes to the side that was heavily defeated 6-1 away at Queen’s park Rangers just before the International break.
In-came Madiodio Dia, Luke Le Roux, Conor Chaplin, Gustavo Caballero, and Colby Bishop.
While both Zak Swanson and the injured Ebou Adams were both absent from the match-day squad.
Play did not kick off until around 3:05, as referee Stephen Martin had a few technical issues with his communication system, but play did manage to get underway a few moments after 3pm.
After a strong start by the hosts, with Jakov Medić and Mathias Kvistgaarden coming close, the Canaries inevitably took the lead, 25 minutes gone.
And it was via Pompey summer transfer target Mattsson, when the Danish midfielder burst his way into the box, before firing a low effort past Nicolas Schmid to make it 1-0.
Blues skipper Marlon Pack, who was carded early on, came very close to receiving a second yellow card, as he was awarded with one final warning by the referee.
Portsmouth had chances to claw back an equaliser with Colby Bishop striking the post, and then Pack’s header from a Blues corner going just wide.
HALF-TIME: Norwich City 1-0 Portsmouth
Just past the hour mark, Mousinho made a double change, with the returning duo of Andre Dozzell and Keshi Anderson, replacing Pack and Millenic Alli on 65 minutes.
Fresh off scoring for Paraguay in midweek, Gustavo Caballero took advantage of a smart free-kick routine, but the Santos loanee’s low strike was blocked by a yellow shirt.
Philippe Clement’s side hardly shifted through the gears in the second half and allowed Pompey to come onto them, with a rather casual performance.
But with just over 5 minutes of normal time remaining, Portsmouth found a stroke of luck and an equaliser via Poole from Dozzell's free-kick.
The set piece from the right byline was flicked on by Bishop, as the ball met the Welsh defender, whose shot contacted Mattson, before falling into the net past Vladan Kovačević to make it 1-1.
Despite 4 minutes of added time, Pompey held on and picked up a crucial point on the road.
FULL-TIME: Norwich City 1-1 Portsmouth
Next up: Portsmouth return to PO4 on Easter Monday, as they welcome Matt Bloomfield’s Oxford United to Fratton Park in a 12:30 kick-off.
Norwich City: 1. Kovačević, 35. Fisher, 5. Medić (33. Córdoba), 6. Darling, 8. Gibbs (3. Stacey), 7. Mattson, 23. McLean (C), 16. Wright (20. Slimane), 25. Maghoma, 29. Schwartau (21. Ahmed), 30. Kvistgaarden (37. Touré) (Formation: 3-4-2-1)
Unused subs: 32. Grimshaw (GK), 14. Chrisene, 18. Forson, 26. Field
Goals: Mattsson 25’
Bookings: Gibbs 46’, Wright 48’, Mattsson 68’
Manager: Philippe Clement
Portsmouth: 1. Schmid (GK), 24. Devlin, 5. Poole, 55. Dia (6. Shaughnessy), 3. Ogilvie, 7. Pack (C) (21. Dozzell), 16. Le Roux, 47. Caballero (29. Blair), 36. Chaplin (40. Brown), 27. Alli (37. Anderson), 9. Bishop (Formation: 4-2-3-1)
Unused subs: 26. Bursik (GK), 2. Williams, 8. Swift, 10. Segečić
Goals: Poole 85’
Bookings: Pack 5’, Ogilvie 16’, Caballero 30’, Bishop 87’
Head coach: John Mousinho
Referee: Stephen Martin
Venue: Carrow Road
Attendance: 26,613 (including 1,806 Pompey fans)
For more reaction, be sure to listen back to the Pompey Live: Extra-Time podcast - Jake Smith, Kirsty Roxanne, James Wilson and Henry Deacon were tasked with discussing this stalemate at Carrow Road!
Jake will return with 2 more Blues fans to review the game further and look ahead to the Easter Monday (April 6th) meeting with Oxford United at Fratton Park on the next instalment of The Football Hour, coming LIVE this Sunday (April 5th) evening from 6pm on Express FM.
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