An Adrian Segečić hat-trick earns Pompey a comfortable victory away from home in the penultimate game of the season.
Despite Lamine Cissé’s equaliser early in the second half, a trio of goals by Segečić was the difference in Stoke-on-Trent, as the Croatian under-21 takes the match ball back to Portsea Island.
The victory, which was the 6th on the road this season, moves Portsmouth up to 18th in the table, above both Charlton Athletic in 19th, along with Blackburn Rovers in 20th.
And West Bromwich Albion in 21st, who were awarded a 2-point deduction, but are mathematically safe from the drop, following Oxford’s relegation earlier in the day.
There were 5 changes to the XI that was defeated 5-1 away at Champions Coventry City on Tuesday night.
Bursik initially started instead of the absent Nicolas Schmid, while Hayden Matthews, Luke Le Roux, John Swift, and Harvey Blair came in for Regan Poole, Ebou Adams, Conor Chaplin, and Millenic Alli.
Pompey were forced into a change just four minutes in, when Bursik went down with an injury, and after receiving treatment, the keeper had to be withdrawn for Ben Killip.
Segečić gave the Blues the lead just past the half-hour mark, when he finessed home Blair’s through ball into the 18-yard box with his left boot to make it 1-0.
HALF-TIME: Stoke City 0-1 Portsmouth
The Potters equalised just 3 minutes after the interval, when Cissé rose up to nod home Sorba Thomas’ corner and make it 1-1.
Mousinho made two changes just past the hour mark, with Matthews coming off for Ibane Bowat, and Josh Murphy for Blair.
Murphy almost made an immediate impact via an assist after just a minute after coming on, as he fired a cross to the back post, which was met by the head of Segečić, whose header hit the side-netting.
However, moments later Pompey regained their lead, and Murphy got his assist, when the winger’s teasing cross was met by Segečić to make it 2-1, 67 minutes on the clock.
Jordan Williams nearly scored his second of the campaign when Murphy found Segečić, who then played it into the full-back, whose effort went just wide.
Pompey made two final changes, with Jacob Brown replacing Swift, while Colby Bishop came off for Thomas Waddingham, who came on for his first appearance since pre-season.
Segečić continued to give Croatian national team manager Zlatko Dalić something to think about, as he then scored his third of the afternoon, when he thumped a low left-footed strike past Simkin, taking his shirt off in jubilation.
Stoke then thought they had pulled a goal back through Róbert Boženík, who put the ball in the back of the net, but referee David Webb chalked the goal off for handball.
There were an additional 6 minutes of added time, as Pompey easily held on to a well-earned three points in Staffordshire.
FULL-TIME: Stoke City 1-3 Portsmouth
Next up: John Mousinho’s side will play their final match of the 2025/26 season next Saturday, when they welcome Chris Davies’ Birmingham City to Fratton Park in a 12:30 kick-off.
Stoke: 25. Simkin (GK), 50. Agina (Tchamadeu), 6. Phillips, 54 Otegbayo (42. Manhoef), 17. Bocat (23. Gibson), 4. Pearson (C) (15. N’Zonzi), 12. Seko, 29. Cissé, 7. Thomas, 29. Gallagher (21. Rak-Sakyi), 11. Boženík (Formation: 4-2-3-1)
Unused subs: 34. Fielding (GK), 8. Baker, 10. Bae, 49. Smit
Goals: Cissé 48’
Manager: Mark Robins
Portsmouth: 26. Bursik (GK) (30. Killip), 2. Williams, 14. Matthews (17. Bowat), 55. Dia, 3. Ogilvie, 16. Le Roux, 21. Dozzell, 10. Segečić, 8. Swift (40. Brown), 29. Blair (23. Murphy), 9. Bishop (C) (20. Waddingham) (Formation: 4-2-3-1)
Unused subs: 5. Poole, 27. Alli, 32. Adams, 36. Chaplin
Goals: Segečić 32’, 67’ & 82'
Bookings: Matthews 61’, Segečić 82’
Head coach: John Mousinho
Referee: David Webb
Venue: bet365 Stadium
Attendance: 24,894 (including 3,024 Pompey fans)
Jake Smith, David Howes and James Wilson made up the punditry team on Express FM this afternoon and you can replay the Pompey Live: Extra-Time podcast from today's broadcast at the bet365 Stadium.
The Football Hour returns this coming Monday (April 27th) evening from 6pm with further reaction to this match.
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