Portsmouth missed a series of second-half chances to fall to a 1-0 defeat against 10-man Southampton in the south coast derby. James Bree's 20th-minute goal proved decisive at St Mary's, ending a 22-year wait for a home league win for the hosts in this fixture.
The result leaves John Mousinho's side 19th in the Championship table with eight points from eight games. Their recent form shows just one win in the last five outings, a sequence that includes draws with Blackburn and Charlton.
Key moments
Southampton took the lead when Finn Azaz's clipped pass found Bree, who finished past the Portsmouth goalkeeper. The game's complexion changed just before half-time as Portsmouth's Cameron Bragg received a second yellow card, reducing his side to ten men for the remainder of the contest.
Portsmouth responded positively after the break. Colby Bishop forced a save from Daniel Peretz with a header, while Ryan Kavuma-McQueen drilled a shot narrowly wide. Substitute Adrian Segecic also had a couple of low efforts that missed the target. Despite sustained pressure, a clear equaliser eluded them.
Manager reaction
John Mousinho was left devastated by his team's inability to convert their opportunities. "It was a different game after the red card," the Portsmouth head coach said. "But for the amount of pressure that we had in the second half, the amount of opportunities we had, to not put the ball in the back of the net, we’re devastated."
Southampton manager Tonda Eckert, who oversaw his first league derby win since taking charge, credited his players for digging out the result. "I think that one today belongs to the players," Eckert stated. "If you go a man down there’s not so much you can do as a manager outside of trying to give a structure that helps. It’s the players that dig out games like this."
The win provided a significant boost for Eckert, who recently received a six-week suspended ban and a £28,000 fine from an FA commission investigating the 'Spygate' scandal. The commission noted his "genuine contrition" after Southampton admitted to spying on opponents last season.
Portsmouth must now regroup quickly, with the focus shifting to their next Championship fixture. A look at the current standings shows the importance of picking up points to climb away from the lower reaches of the division.
The original report is at The Guardian Football
Portsmouth host Sheffield United tonight with nine players out and one a doubt. Manager John Mousinho confirmed defender Conor Shaughnessy remains sidelined with a groin issue, stating no timeframe has been put on his return. Winger Josh Murphy is pencilled in to return later this month. The Blues, now 20th in the Championship with eight points, must quickly move on from Sunday's 1-0 defeat to Southampton. Their next fixture is at home to Sheffield United on October 14.
Portsmouth ended a three-game losing run against Sheffield United with a 3-2 victory on October 14. Zak Swanson, Adrian Segecic and Ebou Adams scored for the Blues, who are now 16th with 11 points from nine games. The win moves them to a recent form of two wins, two draws and one loss. Manager John Mousinho said, "The character to come back and win was outstanding." Portsmouth next travel to face Norwich on October 17.
