Terry Devlin and Thomas Waddingham both scored in second half stoppage time to help earn the Blues 3 Championship points following a dramatic night at Fratton Park.
It was a game that could have ended in just a point instead of three for the Blues had Žan Vipotnik’s equalising penalty not been been made redundant by Pompey’s late antics at PO4.
It’s now 6 unbeaten for John Mousinho’s side, who move up to 10th in the Championship, just outside 8th place on goal difference.
Mousinho made four changes to the side that drew 0-0 away at Burnley last Saturday.
Odin Bailey came in for his first Championship start, while Terry Devlin, Ebou Adams, and Tyrese Shade also came into the XI.
Portsmouth started with more intensity and intent in the opening stages of the evening, with Adrain Segečić’s low attempt at goal from Bailey’s flick-on going just wide of the Swansea net early on.
Nicolas Schmid’s long ball over the top caused problems for the Swans as the back; after the ball floated around, it fell to the feet of Shade on the left flank, who drove a right-footed shot at goal, which Vigouroux managed to just get behind for a corner.
Swansea captain Jay Fulton did fire an effort down the opposite end, after Gonçalo Franco teed up the Scottish midfielder outside of the 18-yard box, whose attempt was hit straight into the gloves of Schmid.
Swansea defender Stephen Welsh had to be withdrawn just 24 minutes in, after a challenge from Adams, who was booked for the tackle.
But 36 minutes in, it was the Blues who struck a goal first, and it was Devlin who found the back of the net.
Segečić’s recycled cutback to Bailey fell into the path of the Northern Ireland International, who smashed the ball across goal, into the bottom right-hand corner to make it 1-0.
HALF-TIME: Portsmouth 1-0 Swansea City
And early on in the second 45, Portsmouth had the ball in the back of the net for a second time via Marko Milovanović, who tapped in Segečić’s cutback, but the goal was disallowed for a foul on Jenson Seelt.
Mousinho made a triple change with just over 15 to go, as the trio of Abu Kamara, Josh Murphy, and Waddingham replaced Segečić, Adams, and Marezi.
However, with just five minutes of normal time remaining, Vítor Matos’ side were awarded a penalty by referee Matthew Corlett for Regan Poole's shirt-pull on Vipotnik.
The Slovenian international stepped up to the spot and converted the spot-kick, which made it 1-1, as he sent Schmid the wrong way after a stuttered run-up.
Swansea could have, in fact, won it when New Zealand International Elijah Just found Ross Stewart at the back post, but the Scottish forward's attempt cracked off the top of the crossbar.
But inside the second minute of added time, Devlin won it for Pompey, when Bailey’s corner was rebounded out to the Blues number 24, who slotted the ball into the near post of the Swans' net to make it 2-1.
But despite the added time going well over its allocated length, that did not stop Portsmouth, who then added a third with the last kick of the night.
Schmid’s ball allowed over the top found Waddingham, who managed to break the line and get in behind the Swansea backline, before slicing the ball past Vigouroux to make it 3-1 in the 98th minute.
FULL-TIME: Portsmouth 3-1 Swansea City
Portsmouth: 1. Schmid (GK), 24. Devlin, 5. Poole (C), 55. Dia, 16. Meghoma, 38. Adams (23. Murphy), 37. Mohammed (7. Pack), 10. Segečić (11. Kamara), 27. Bailey, 17. Shade (22. Swanson), 29. Marezi (20. Waddingham) (Formation: 4-2-3-1)
Unused subs: 31. Bielica (GK), 6. Shaughnessy, 19. Shein, 25. Kavuma-McQueen
Goals: Devlin 36’ & 90+2’, Waddingham 90+8’
Bookings: Adams 21’, Poole 83’
Head coach: John Mousinho
Swansea: 22. Vigouroux (GK), 26. Lissah (2. Key), 23. Welsh (5. Cabango), 3. Seelt, 14. Tymon, 6. Stamenić, 4. Fulton (C) (31. Stewart), 17. Franco, 7. Widell (8. Just), 30. Opoku, 8. Just, 33. Idah (9. Vipotnik) (Formation: 4-2-3-1)
Unused subs: 1. Fisher (GK), 12. Monga, 16. Iorpenda, 44. Woodward
Goals: Vipotnik (Penalty) 85’
Bookings: Vítor Matos (Not on pitch) 85’
Head coach: Vítor Matos
Referee: Matthew Corlett
Venue: Fratton Park
Attendance: 18,897 (including 828 away fans)
If you want to hear reaction to this evening's match, the Pompey Live: Extra-Time podcast has you covered! Jake Smith, Graham Butterworth and Danny Thompson were in position at the top of the South Stand in the press box to present the post-match assessment on Express FM.
Be sure to join Jake on Friday (November 6th) night's episode of The Football Hour, where he'll be joined alongside Mark Magee and Ian Chiverton to deliver even more reaction to this game and a preview of Saturday's meeting with Stoke City at Fratton Park.
Comments
Add a comment