Pompey Progress to EFL Trophy Final!

The Blues have reached the EFL Trophy Final for a second consecutive season, following a dramatic 3-2 victory over Exeter City at Fratton Park. Kenny Jackett's side will face either Newport County or Salford City at Wembley Stadium on Sunday the 5th of April.

Tonight's victory over the Grecians was Portsmouth's 15th in-a-row in this competition and has set the side up for a date at Wembley Stadium, which has been jokingly referred to as the Blues' second home. The Final, which will be contested on Sunday the 5th of April (2020), will see the Blues face the winner of Wednesday's Semi-Final clash between Newport County and Salford City.

As a result, the League One fixture at home to Bristol Rovers on Saturday the 4th of April will be rescheduled to a Tuesday night, with a new date set to be announced by the club in due course.

The Blues looked set to exit the competition when Jake Taylor opened the scoring for the visitors on the 79th minute, but Marcus Harness levelled the scoreline with just 4 minutes to play. However, that wasn't the final bit of action...

Exeter once again looked destined for Wembley when Christian Burgess put the ball past his own goalkeeper on the 89th minute.

But, once again, Pompey found a way back, as they so often do in the EFL Trophy.

The fourth official indicated 5 minutes of added time with the score 2-1 to the Grecians, but Cameron McGeehan popped up on the 91st minute, his effort from just outside of the 18-yard box deflected and looped over Lewis Ward.

4 minutes later, with the Blues throwing absolutely everything at Exeter to try and prevent a penalty shoot-out, John Marquis sent 14,000 Blues fans into delirium at Fortress Fratton with a headed effort to put Pompey 3-2 ahead, and that's how the game ended.

Last season, Kenny Jackett guided his side to trophy success, beating promotion rivals and eventual League One Play-Off opponents Sunderland 5-4 on penalties after a tense and exciting 120 minutes of football. The game ended 2-2 after extra-time - Nathan Thompson headed home Pompey's equaliser on the 82nd minute to cancel out Aiden McGeady's first-half free-kick. Jamal Lowe thought he to had won it for the Blues after a delightful chip over the keeper from outside of the box with 114 minutes on the clock, but McGeady popped up again with less than 60 seconds to spare to force the game to a shoot-out.

Craig MacGillivray saved the Black Cats' second penalty, taken by Lee Cattermole, to send Portsmouth on their way to victory. Gareth Evans, Brett Pitman, Lee Brown and Jamal Lowe all scored from 12-yards but it was Oli Hawkins who carried the weight of destiny on his shoulders. His thunderous attempt had Jon McLaughlin beaten and secured Portsmouth's first ever EFL Trophy title - meaning that the League (Carabao) Cup is now the only major domestic cup competition that the Blues are yet to win!

Pompey have twice been crowned Champions of England (1949 & 1950), won the prestigious FA Cup on two occasions (1939 & 2008) and have lifted the EFL Trophy once (2019). As well as all of that, the club has succeeded in winning the 2nd Tier of English Football once (2003), the 3rd Tier on three separate occasions (1924, 1962 & 1983) and the 4th Tier once (2017).

Upon winning the League Two title on the dramatic final day of the 2016/17 season, Portsmouth became only the 5th team in English Football history to have won all 4 of the domestic league titles available, joining Burnley, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Sheffield United and Preston North End on that prestigious list.

In the wake of tonight's progression to the EFL Trophy Final, it must be noted that no team has ever retained the trophy in any of it's formats...

Could Pompey become the first team to do so? Will you be going to Wembley on April the 5th? Who do you want in the Final, Newport County or Salford City? Let us know all of your thoughts on tonight's victory and what it means to you by getting involved with The Football Hour, this Friday from 6pm on 93.7 FM, DAB Digital Radio and Online at expressfm.com/player!

Images courtesy of Portsmouth Football Club.