Stoke City secured their first away victory in over two months as Portsmouth defender Hayden Matthews inadvertently headed in a decisive own goal in Friday’s clash at Fratton Park. The win keeps Stoke in the hunt for the Championship play-off spots and marks a vital boost for Mark Robins’ side after a mixed run of form.

First Half: Stoke Dominate a Scrappy Affair

The first half saw Stoke City control proceedings despite a scrappy display, with Portsmouth unable to match the visitors’ intensity. Ashley Phillips and Divin Mubama both came close with headers, while Mubama missed the best opportunity when Ben Wilmot’s long ball found him at the edge of the box.

Pompey’s attack was largely passive, and Stoke’s dominance suggested they should have opened the scoring earlier, putting the home side under significant pressure.

Second Half: Portsmouth Fight Back

After the break, Portsmouth improved markedly. Makenzie Kirk, making his first league start, went close twice, while Colby Bishop and Connor Ogilvie also threatened Stoke’s goal. Despite creating more chances than in the entire first half, Portsmouth failed to convert, leaving them trailing.

The match opened up as both sides looked for a breakthrough. Phillips narrowly headed wide for Stoke, while Kirk’s volley at close range was easily saved by Stoke goalkeeper Viktor Johansson.

The Decisive Moment: Sorba Thomas Assist

The winning goal came from a moment of quality from Sorba Thomas, who cut inside on the left wing and delivered a sharp, low cross. Matthews attempted to clear but inadvertently deflected the ball past his goalkeeper, Joe Bursik, to hand Stoke the lead.

Despite Portsmouth pushing for an equaliser, Stoke defended resolutely and held on to claim their first away win since 23 August.

Manager Reactions

Mark Robins, Stoke City Manager:

“The performance was good enough, especially in the first half. We should have been 2-0 up, but we didn’t take our chances and allowed the opposition to stay in the game. Our goalkeeper made crucial saves, and the team defended well to see the game out.”

John Mousinho, Portsmouth Manager:

“The first half was poor, and it took 45 minutes to get going. We improved in the second half and created chances, but a poor piece of defending cost us the game. We should have done better with our decisions, and given our performance, we deserved more.”

Key Player Performances

• Viktor Johansson (Stoke City) – Player of the Match, rating 8.48, crucial saves kept Stoke ahead.
• Makenzie Kirk (Portsmouth) – Strong attacking threat, rating 5.69, first league start.
• Hayden Matthews (Portsmouth) – Own goal, rating 4.97, unfortunate deflection.

Stoke’s victory provides a much-needed boost as they look to solidify their position in the Championship play-off race, while Portsmouth remain in a worrying run of form with just one win in their last eight league games.