Charlton 1, Portsmouth 3: Neil Allen's verdict - Battered and bruised Blues defy the odds to claim a remarkable win
The Blues secured their third away win of the season with a 3-1 triumph at The Valley.
Despite being patched up, battered, and bruised, and with 13 team-mates currently out with injuries, the Fratton faithful had little optimism. However, 2,504 hardy souls made the journey, driven by the desire to support their team.
The outcome was far from certain, given the unpredictable nature of the result and the extenuating circumstances. Portsmouth had struggled on the road, scoring just nine goals all season, the lowest in the Championship, and managing only two wins during that period.
Yet, a right-back and a striker in the midst of a goal drought emerged as heroes. Mousinho's team secured a 3-1 victory, easing the mounting negativity.
Terry Devlin's stunning strikes from outside the box and Colby Bishop's penalty, his first league goal since August 23, were the highlights. Although Jayden Fevrier pulled one back, the Blues held on for a crucial win.
Pompey showed the cutting edge they had been missing in previous narrow defeats to Preston and Sheffield United, with Gustavo Caballero's encouraging first start in English football.
Despite injuries to key players like Andre Dozzell, Conor Chaplin, and others, the Blues are climbing the Championship ranks. Mousinho made team changes, including Marlon Pack's first Pompey start in 2026, and the team responded with a resilient performance.
Nicolas Schmid's early save prevented a goal, and the Blues responded with a corner kick. The match saw penalties, substitutions, and a thrilling comeback, with Devlin's second goal and Fevrier's response. The final score of 3-1 secured a hard-fought victory for Portsmouth.
