Portsmouth seal a first win away from home since October thanks to an Andre Dozzell tap-in and a 97th minute Mark O’Mahony winner at the Kassam Stadium.
A game that had many stop-starts in the first half, but ultimately it was John Mousinho’s side that stole the show in Oxfordshire in the second half at the Pompey bosses old stomping ground.
After almost 3 months on the sidelines, it was a goal that O’Mahony would have been dreaming of during his time in the treatment room.
However, during the first half an Oxford fan was involved in a medical incident early on, with Oxford United putting out a statement that the fan is in a “stable condition’ after suffering a cardiac arrest.
The thoughts from everyone at the Pompey Live and the Express FM team are with the Oxford fans’ family and friends during this difficult time and wish the supporter a healthy recovery whilst they receive further treatment in hospital.
Josh Murphy was eager to get a goal against his former side just 20 seconds into the action, but his 20 yard effort from outside the box was comfortably saved by Jamie Cumming in The U’s net.
On the 11th minute fans in the ground took part in a minute's applause for former Oxford United midfielder Joey Beauchamp for the upcoming 3 year anniversary of his devastating death, supported by the Joey Beauchamp Foundation that was set up by Joey’s brother; Luke.
Murphy kept his momentum going forward, when he swivelled his way past Peter Kioso, before finding Colby Bishop in the area, but the Blues number 9 was unable to hit the target with his header.
Inside 15 minutes play had to stop at the Kassam Stadium after a medical incident occurred in the home side of the North Stand, which paused play for half an hour.
The Oxford supporter was taken to hospital in an ambulance after a brilliant response by the medical team in the stadium.
Play then resumed at 1:15pm, clocked on the 22nd minute with 23 minutes of the first half being played and an additional 10 minutes of added time to the end of the first 45.
Portsmouth captain Matt Ritchie got play back underway with a free kick of the left-hand side of Pompey’s half.
The Yellow’s found themselves creeping into this tie, with efforts for skipper; Cameron Brannagan and Polish international; Przemyslaw Placheta having to be cleared away by Portsmouth.
Greg Leigh went down with a hamstring injury, forcing the former Ipswich full back off for Sam Long with 5 minutes of the added time remaining of the first half.
Zak Swanson then collided with Oxford winger; Siriki Dembele who was forced to wait on the sidelines to follow the concussion protocol.
Half-time: Oxford United 0-0 Portsmouth
Pompey found their goal, when Andre Dozzell finished off a goalmouth scramble on the back of Ritchie’s corner that was connected by ex-Oxford man Rob Atkinson, before falling to Dozzell who tapped the ball home to grab his first Portsmouth goal.
Callum Lang then had a chance to double the Blues lead, but his effort was fired straight at Cumming in The U’s net.
Blues captain; Ritchie gave his armband to Atkinson as he came off for Sunderland loanee; Adil Aouchiche and Bishop came off for the return of Brighton loanee; Mark O’Mahony up front.
Million pound signing from Utrecht; Ole Romeny came on for Mark Harris for Oxford, along with Portuguese midfielder; Ruben Rodrigues who came off for January signing; Stanley Mills and young Irish winger; Tyler Goodrham was on for Dembele.
Lang then attempted to make a run forward for Portsmouth on the attack, but the Blues top scorer went down in excruciating pain as he seemed to have pulled his hamstring, forcing the attacker off for Cohen Bramall with 20 minutes left to play.
Romeny then had a chance to get his first Oxford goal, but the Dutch forward was unable to beat Nicholas Schmid in the Blues net who made a vital save to keep the scoreline at 1-0 to Portsmouth.
O’Mahony almost connected with an Isaac Hayden cross that was fired low into the area, but Oxford managed to get the ball clear and deny the Blues the chance to double their lead.
Hayden and Swanson’s afternoon in Oxfordshire came to an end with five minutes to go, with the pair coming off for Marlon Pack and Terry Devlin.
U’s sub; Matt Phillips had a golden opportunity to equalise for Oxford, but the Scotsman’s header was too high to the goalmouth, instead flying over the roof of Schmid’s net.
7 minutes of added time were added on at the end of the ninety which Oxford were dominating in Pompey’s half.
Then in the dying seconds of the game Mark O’Mahony found himself one on one with Cumming, after a forward ball found the Irish under 21 international, before the Seagulls loanee placed the ball into the back of the net to seal the three points for Portsmouth and a first win away from home since October 2024.
Full-time: Oxford United 0-2 Portsmouth
Next up: It’s back to Fratton Park for Portsmouth as they welcome Martí Cifuentes’ Queens Park Rangers’ next Saturday in the Championship.
The last time these two sides met back in October last year, the R’s sat rock bottom of the division, however the London side are now on a play off charge after a positive run of form over the past four months.
QPR’s season shows just how tight and unpredictable the Championship can be, with just a few win’s a side could find themselves in a Play-Off race, but have a few losses you could very well find yourself in a mix of a relegation scrap.
Can the Blues make it 3 wins from 3 for the first time this season? Or will Rangers knock Pompey off their winning train with just 3 months of the season remaining.
Oxford United: 1. Cumming (GK), 30. Kioso (10. Phillips), 47. Helik, 3. Brown, 22. Leigh (2. Long), 4. Vaulks, Brannagan (C), 20. Rodrigues (44. Mills), 7. Placheta, 23. Dembele (19. Goodrham), 9. Harris (11. Romeny)
Unused Subs: 21. Ingram (GK), 15. El Mizouni, 18. Matos, 24. Ter Avrest
Manager: Gary Rowett
Portsmouth: 13. Schmid (GK), 22. Swanson (24. Devlin), 44. Matthews, 35. Atkinson, 3. Ogilvie, 21. Dozzell, 45. Hayden (7. Pack), 30. Ritchie (C) (17. Aouchiche), 49. Lang (18. Bramall), 23. Murphy, 9. Bishop (11. O’Mahony)
Unused subs: 31. Archer (GK), 5. Poole, 14. Gordon, 15. Saydee
Goals: Dozzell 47’, O’Mahony 90+6’
Bookings: Dozzell 45+1, O’Mahony 87’
Head Coach: John Mousinho
Venue: Kassam Stadium
Referee: Will Finnie
Attendance: 11,423 (Including 1,479 Pompey fans)
You can now also replay the latest Pompey Live: Extra-Time podcast - Jake Smith, Henry Deacon, Kirsty Roxanne and James Wilson provided a full review of today's win live from the press box at the Kassam Stadium.
Jake Smith will be joined alongside Kev Stokes and Sam Stone on Monday (February 17th) evening from 6pm for the next episode of The Football Hour on Express FM to review today's game in greater detail and assess the rest of the weekend's Championship action.
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