Portsmouth escape relegation with thrilling comeback against Southampton
A 1-1 draw at Fratton Park saw Portsmouth leapfrog Blackburn into 21st place, while their south-coast rivals Southampton remained stuck in 15th. The visitors had looked poised for a clean sheet on the road after opening the scoring through LΓ©o Scienza's 57th-minute effort, but Ebou Adams' late equaliser sparked wild celebrations among the home crowd.
The Saints had been well-positioned to claim their first league win at Fratton Park in 50 years, with Scienza finding space on the edge of the box before unleashing a powerful shot past Adrian Segecic. However, Portsmouth's goalkeeper produced a smart stop just minutes later to deny Adam Armstrong, who had been sent clear by Finn Azaz.
The home team then began to gain more possession, and while they created few clear chances, their pressure eventually told as Segecic's inswinging corner from the right caused chaos in the six-yard box. Adams, a January signing from Derby, bundled his first goal for the club past Schmid and into the net, sparking jubilation among the Pompey faithful.
The Saints, meanwhile, looked frustrated at being denied south-coast bragging rights. Tempers threatened to boil over with 20 minutes to go as Flynn Downes's tackle on Zak Swanson led to a melee and resulted in a booking for both players.
In the end, Portsmouth emerged victorious, ending a feisty affair in the ascendancy but unable to find a winner during six minutes of added time. For Southampton, it was a frustrating draw that left them waiting for a clean sheet on the road β their 25th league game without one.
A 1-1 draw at Fratton Park saw Portsmouth leapfrog Blackburn into 21st place, while their south-coast rivals Southampton remained stuck in 15th. The visitors had looked poised for a clean sheet on the road after opening the scoring through LΓ©o Scienza's 57th-minute effort, but Ebou Adams' late equaliser sparked wild celebrations among the home crowd.
The Saints had been well-positioned to claim their first league win at Fratton Park in 50 years, with Scienza finding space on the edge of the box before unleashing a powerful shot past Adrian Segecic. However, Portsmouth's goalkeeper produced a smart stop just minutes later to deny Adam Armstrong, who had been sent clear by Finn Azaz.
The home team then began to gain more possession, and while they created few clear chances, their pressure eventually told as Segecic's inswinging corner from the right caused chaos in the six-yard box. Adams, a January signing from Derby, bundled his first goal for the club past Schmid and into the net, sparking jubilation among the Pompey faithful.
The Saints, meanwhile, looked frustrated at being denied south-coast bragging rights. Tempers threatened to boil over with 20 minutes to go as Flynn Downes's tackle on Zak Swanson led to a melee and resulted in a booking for both players.
In the end, Portsmouth emerged victorious, ending a feisty affair in the ascendancy but unable to find a winner during six minutes of added time. For Southampton, it was a frustrating draw that left them waiting for a clean sheet on the road β their 25th league game without one.