Stoke City secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory against Portsmouth on the south coast, claiming only their second win in seven Sky Bet Championship matches. The pivotal moment came late in the third quarter. A Portsmouth defender accidentally redirected the ball into his own net for good measure. Stoke never seemed likely to lose their lead as the game wore on. Even with eight minutes of added time, their victory never seemed in doubt.
The game, played at Fratton Park, was untenably dominated by both sides in terms of having the final touch to put away opportunities. Mark Robins had made a number of changes to the Stoke lineup after the midweek loss at Millwall, choosing to ring the changes with seven changes. It was the first league start for the club for homegrown defender Makenzie Kirk. At the same time, Josh Murphy entered as a substitute and soon took over the match.
Early Chances and missed opportunities
Stoke City created the first real chance of the match just seven minutes in. Aaron Cresswell provided an excellent cross for Divin Mubama. Mubama then leapt acrobatically into the air to send a crashing header just wide of the goal. It was clear from the first indications of Stoke’s intent that they were up for this one, but their finishing left a lot to be desired.
Kirk received a similar pass from Marlon Pack shortly thereafter. He squandered the opportunity by hitting a shoddy first-time shot that flew far wide of the target. Ashley Phillips passed up a second golden opportunity as he couldn’t finish down a cross from Lewis Baker. He ended up sending the ball wide of the left post, even though he had an easier opportunity to score.
Even with these early bumps in the road, Robins was encouraged by the way his team was playing. “It was one of the most important wins we’ve had this season. I think we’ve shown great character,” he stated after the match.
A Defensive Battle Ensues
As the game wore on, both teams had trouble holding onto the ball, resulting in multiple game-changing turnovers. Connor Ogilvie came close to doubling Stoke’s advantage at the other end, volleying inches over the top corner. On the other hand, Bae Juhno found himself unmarked in the box but was unable to capitalize on his opportunity, shooting wide.
After stoke just kept up maintaining the pressure, Mubama getting behind defender Regan Poole. His effort was weak enough that it wasn’t able to test Portsmouth’s goalkeeper Jo Bursik. Marlon Pack and Kirk both had shots blocked inside the penalty area, as Stoke continued to search for an early goal.
Also, as Robins noted after the game, his team had a ton of chances. With that lead, they could not let Portsmouth get back into the game. “We didn’t take them and it gives them encouragement that they’re still in the game,” he reflected.
Late Drama and Secured Victory
The final call went against Jarecki, and the tension grew as the bout neared its end. Tomas Rigo almost put it beyond doubt with a stunning long-range effort. Sadly enough, it sailed wide of the goal just eight minutes before full time. Then right before halftime in stoppage time, Mubama made a great run to beat the offside trap. Bursik produced a key save to prevent him scoring an equaliser and keep Portsmouth in the tie.
The transformative moment came when, late in the second half, a Portsmouth defender deflected a cross into his own net. Stoke City’s path to an all-important victory was cleared. Though they were forced to absorb some late pressure, Stoke’s defense withstood the storm to earn their first essential three points.
After the match, Portsmouth’s manager John Mousinho expressed frustration at his team’s inability to convert chances. “We caused a huge amount of problems and created a lot of chances without putting the ball in the back of the net,” he lamented. Nevertheless, he reminded us that “the game was indeed there for us.” Instead, he focused on all the opportunities they missed that could have turned the tide.
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