John Mousinho's men ran riot at Carrow Road to strengthen their Championship survival hopes.
Colby Bishop took home the match ball from East Anglia after scoring a perfect hat-trick, with 2 goals from open play and a goal from the penalty spot - The forward came into this game off the back of a penalty miss in a 2-2 at home to Derby last weekend.
Today’s win takes Pompey 6 points ahead of 22nd place Luton Town, who defeated Derby 1-0 in today’s early kick-off, with 19th place Oxford United sitting one point below the Blues before they welcomed 2nd place Leeds United in Good Friday’s 8pm kick off.
The standings now mean that a win against Watford on Easter Monday would secure Portsmouth’s Championship status for the first time in almost 13 years.
Norwich got the action going almost immediately, when they won a corner from their kick off, but José Córdoba’s header was comfortably saved by Nicholas Schmid a minute later.
But it was on the cusp of the fifteenth minute, when Colby Bishop headed home Matt Ritchie’s lopping ball into the area, with Long left unable to parry the ball away.
It was not long before the Canaries found an equaliser though, when the United States international Sargent poked home a Norwich corner just five minutes later after Pompey failed to clear a goal-line scramble.
However, 5 minutes before the break it was the Gosport born Matt Ritchie finished off Murphy’s lay off into the area after Issac Hayden smashed the ball forward to make it 2,1 to Pompey.
There was an additional 5 minutes of added time, after Sargent went down holding his left shoulder, however the St. Louis, Missouri born forward played on.
The first half action was not over though, with ex Norwich loanee Hayden being chopped down inside the penalty area just seconds before referee Tom Kirk was about to blow his whistle for the interval.
Bishop stepped up to the sport and sent Long in the City net to send Long the wrong way and make it 3-1 to Pompey and score his second goal of the game, whilst rebooting his penalty confidence after last weekend’s disappointing miss at home to Derby County.
Half time: Norwich City 1-3 Portsmouth
The hosts made two changes ahead of the second half bringing off Sargent and Marcelino Núñez for Jack Stacey and Danish midfielder Emiliano Marcondes.
Just five minutes into the second half, Pompey made it 4-1 and Bishop got his hat-trick, after the number 9 finished off Murphy’s dummy after the winger's initial shot was saved.
Issac Hayden’s afternoon was over, with the Newcastle loanee coming off for ex Ipswich midfielder Andre Dozzell.
Norwich sub Jack Stacey was off the bench to score a constellation for Norwich, putting the ball past Schmid to make it 4-2 and decrease Pompey’s buffer to two goals rather than 3.
Centre-back Regan Poole was able to be the third Pompey scorer of the afternoon, when the Welshman fired home Aouchiche’s ball into the area, to score his first goal of the season and his first Championship career goal to make it 5-2.
The hat-trick hero came off for Kusini Yengi with 15 minutes to go, with the 1,899 Blues fans giving the striker a well earned standing ovation.
There was also a triple substitution, with Aouchiche, Rob Atkinson and Matt Ritchie’s afternoon coming to an end, with Terry Devlin, Zack Swanson and Marlon Pack coming on.
The Canaries managed to pull another goal back on ninety minutes, after sub Emiliano Marcondes tapped home Jacob Wright’s pass to make it 3-5 just before the additional six minutes of added time.
Full-time: Norwich City 3-5 Portsmouth
Next up: It’s just two days for John Mousinho’s side to rest and recuperate, with the Blues welcoming Watford to Fratton Park on Easter Monday in a 3pm kick-off.
In the reverse fixture at Vicarage Road, Hornets winger Kwadwao Baah caused outrage from the visiting Pompey fans and players after he mocked Portsmouth losing the game 2-1 late on at the full-time whistle.
However, Tom Cleverly confirmed that the German winger has suffered a recurring thigh injury and will miss the rest of the season, but Portsmouth will still be seeking revenge nonetheless.
Norwich City: 12. Long (GK), 35. Fisher (18. Forson), 4. Duffy, 33. Córdoba (19. Sørensen), 23. McClean (C), 26. Núñez (11. Marcondes), 7. Sainz, 29. Schwartau (6. Doyle) 9. Sargent (3. Stacey) (Formation: 4-3-3)
Unused subs: 36. Reyes (GK), 8. Gibbs, 15. McConville, 25. Hernanadez
Goals: Sargent 21’, Stacey 64’, Marcondes 90’
Bookings: Sainz 79’
Head coach: Johannes Hoff Thorup
Portsmouth: 13. Schmid (GK), 2. Williams, 5. Poole, 35. Atkinson (7. Pack) 3. Ogilvie, 45. Hayden (21. Dozzell), 8. Potts, 30. Ritchie (C) (22. Swanson), 23. Murphy, 17. Aouchiche (24. Devlin), 9. Bishop (10. Yengi) (Formation: 4-2-3-1)
Unused subs: 31. Archer, 15. Saydee, 18. Bramall, 29. Blair
Goals: Bishop 15’, Ritchie 39’, Bishop (Penalty) 45+4’, Bishop 52’, Poole 71’
Bookings: Ritchie 31’, Hayden 32’, Dozzell 90+5’
Head coach: John Mousinho
Venue: Carrow Road
Referee: Thomas Kirk
Attendance: 26,838 (including 1,889 Pompey fans)
Today's Pompey Live: Extra-Time podcast is now available to listen back to! Jake Smith, Kirsty Roxanne and David Howes were on hand to provide full post-match analysis LIVE on Express FM.
For even more reaction to the game, be sure to join Jake Smith for The Football Hour this Sunday (April 20th) evening from 6pm!
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