Ebou Adams scored an 89th-minute winner to give Portsmouth a dramatic 3-2 victory over Sheffield United at Fratton Park. The result ends a two-game winless run and lifts Pompey to 16th in the Championship standings with 11 points from nine matches.
Zak Swanson opened the scoring in the 41st minute with a powerful 25-yard strike into the top corner. Adrian Segečić doubled the lead nine minutes after the restart, finishing a move started by Madiodio Dia and assisted by Ryan Kavuma-McQueen. Sheffield United fought back with goals from Japhet Tanganga in the 59th minute and Thomas Cannon in the 67th, both assisted by summer signings Tahith Chong and Kalvin Phillips.
With the game heading for a draw, John Mousinho’s triple substitution with 20 minutes left proved decisive. Adams, one of those introduced, pounced on a loose ball from Segečić’s cutback to seal the points. “I just wanted to make an impact when I came on and thankfully I got the goal,” Adams said.
Portsmouth dominated the match, recording 67% possession and 24 shots, a significant output that is reflected in their latest team stats. The hosts also saw three players booked, while Sheffield United’s Hamza Choudhury was sent off late on for a second yellow card. Mousinho made six changes from the South Coast derby defeat, with Segečić, Iyad Mohamed and Marko Milovanović coming into the starting lineup. The manager's rotation highlights the depth of the current squad.
“We showed great character to win it late and the fans deserved that,” the Portsmouth head coach added. The win, which follows a draw with Blackburn and a loss to Southampton, gives the squad momentum ahead of a trip to Norwich this Saturday. Portsmouth’s next challenge is at Carrow Road against a Norwich side sitting 20th in the table, a key fixture in the upcoming fixtures list.
Portsmouth head coach John Mousinho acknowledged his side 'got away with one' in the 3-2 win over Sheffield United. He admitted surrendering a 2-0 lead at home, even against ten men, was a concern. The victory, which came courtesy of Ebou Adams's 89th-minute strike, lifts Pompey to 16th in the Championship with 11 points. Mousinho said, "It is hard to argue we did not get away with one." The squad now prepares for a trip to Norwich on October 17.
Portsmouth head coach John Mousinho admitted his side 'got away with one' in the 3-2 win over Sheffield United. He acknowledged surrendering a 2-0 lead at home was a concern. The result lifts Pompey to 16th in the Championship with 11 points from nine games.
