| Click on Club Logo for Team Records or Club Name for Official Website | ||||||
|
|
WEST BROMWICH ALBION | 1 | 1 | PORTSMOUTH |
 |
|
|
Home . Portsmouth FC . Celebrity . Music Technology . On This Day . Concerts . Movies |
|
Season 2025 / 2026 (H) West Bromwich Albion Championship |
| 24 August 2025 | TRANSFERMARKT | FOOTBALL DATABASE |
DRAWN |
| Click on Club Logo for Team Records or Club Name for Official Website | ||||||
|
|
WEST BROMWICH ALBION | 1 | 1 | PORTSMOUTH |
|
|
|
26 |
56 |
||
|
|
|
Colby Bishop nodded home his
first goal of the season as Pompey fought from behind to claim a point at
West Brom. The skipper neatly converted in the second half to cancel out Mikey Johnston’s opener before Baggies boss Ryan Mason was dismissed for angry protests at a couple of refereeing decisions. It was a battling performance from the Blues that helped cleanse the memories of last season’s 5-1 thumping at The Hawthorns. John Mousinho made two changes from the side narrowly beaten by Norwich on home soil the previous weekend. Zak Swanson and Florian Bianchini both came into the starting line-up, replacing Jordan Williams and the injured Callum Lang. John Swift featured against the side he scored against Pompey for last season, while former Fratton loanee Josh Griffiths was between the Baggies sticks, although Jed Wallace had to settle for a spot on the bench. The home side controlled possession in the early stages, but there was not a lot happening in the final third at either end of the pitch. Josh Murphy did hit a teasing ball across the face of goal, while a low Adrian Segečić drive flew not too far past the post. Pompey went close to breaking the deadlock on 20 minutes, however, as Segečić slipped a pass through for Bianchini, only for Griffiths to come quickly off his line and make the save. But it was Albion who went ahead soon after, as Johnston was given space to advance and hit a fine shot that flew into the net. The visitors struggled to get hold of the ball for a period after that, as their opponents passed it around comfortably. They slowly began to settle, though, and Murphy’s cross was nervously punched clear by Griffiths, while a dangerous Connor Ogilvie centre could not be capitalised on. There was a let-off at the other end following a mix-up between Swift and Andre Dozzell, with Swanson doing enough to put off Johnston. Pompey were soon back up the other end of the pitch and a low Bianchini drive was dealt with by Griffiths. Swanson then caught the Baggies defence dithering and had an effort deflected behind, with the resulting corner worked to Murphy, whose shot hit Bishop and was gathered by the keeper. The final chance of the half fell to Albion’s Aune Heggebø, who somehow turned the ball wide from a couple of yards out, only to have his blushes spared by an offside flag. Half Time: West Brom 1 Pompey 0 The Blues had an early sighter after Murphy’s deep cross was sent back into the mixer by Bianchini, but the shot from Ogilvie was wild, flying high and wide. Their opponents soon went closer at the other end of the pitch, as Alex Mowatt bent a shot against the post from the edge of the box. But an equaliser did arrive on 56 minutes, as Murphy swung in another inviting delivery that was converted by a fine glancing header from BISHOP. Mousinho had been planning a couple of changes before the goal went in and they were carried out while the celebrations continued. Bianchini and Swift were the men to make way, as Thomas Waddingham and Luke Le Roux entered the fray. The game was starting to drift, but it came alive when Heggebø got into the box and was tackled by Ogilvie. West Brom were adamant it was a foul, but referee Elliot Bell disagreed and Mason’s protests earned him a booking. But the head coach was soon having to walk down the tunnel after angrily disagreeing with a decision not to award a free-kick against Regan Poole a few moments later. Pompey tried to add salt into the wound, although this time Bishop’s header from a Segečić cross was glanced past the post. A double switch followed on 76 minutes, as Terry Devlin and Williams were brought on for Bishop and Swanson. Márk Kosznovszky also came on for Segečić as Pompey looked to see out the closing stages to claim a point. And Nicolas Schmid held onto a curling Mowatt free-kick as the Baggies continued to push forward with intent. There were six additional minutes for Pompey to see out, but they did that with relative ease to take a point back to the south coast. |
||
|
Updated - 24/08/2025 |
