It’s back to the drawing board for the Blues as Plymouth see out a shock win at Fratton Park, their first league victory away from home all season.
Goals from Mustapha Bundu and Ryan Hardie of either half secured Argyle their first away win of the season in an eventful evening kick off.
Portsmouth remain in 17th place, however the gap between the Blues and the bottom 3 closes down to 7 points.
Argyle still sit rock-bottom with 33 points but are now just 3 points from safety - 21st place Cardiff City are on 36 points.
John Mousinho’s side struggled to break Plymouth down from the start, and that was a consistent theme that occurred throughout the entire 90 minutes.
Defenders Nikola Katić and Ukrainian international Maksym Talovierov frustrated Colby Bishop up front who had a hard time at getting on the end of Nicholas Schmid’s long kicks up the field.
Ryan Hardie almost gave the Green Army the lead early on, but goalkeeping heroics from Schmid denied the Scottish striker a chance to open the score.
Plymouth then took the lead just a minute before half time when the Sierra Leone international Bundu got onto the end of Hardie’s pass to make it 0-1 to Argyle.
Half-time: Portsmouth 0-1 Plymouth Argyle
The Blues were hoping to start the second half better than they did the first, however, a quick counter attack by Argyle allowed Hardie to strike home a second, after Regan Poole was unable to get a block away on the shot on.
Burnley loanee Micheal Obafemi came off for Callum Wright, with Plymouth going to a much more defensive line up ahead of the last 40 minutes.
Pompey made a double substitution, with Kaide Gordon and Cohen Bramall coming on for Matt Ritchie and Marlon Pack, with Connor Ogilvie moving across to centre back and Poole receiving the captain’s armband.
Spanish defender Julio Pleguezuelo went down in excruciating pain, with the centre half being stretchered off for Kornel Szucs.
After previously being booked time waiting, Matthew Sorinola then received a second yellow card when he pulled Josh Murphy’s shirt, sending Argyle down to 10 men.
Portsmouth kept trying to break Plymouth down, and an effort from Adil Aouchiche from outside the box flew into the top right-hand corner to claw one back for Portsmouth on the 89th minute.
11 minutes of injury time were added on, with Fratton Park attempting to get the home side raring up for an equaliser.
However, the Blues ultimately fell short, with chances from substitute Mark O’Mahony going wide of the goal.
Full-time: Portsmouth 1-2 Plymouth Argyle
Next up: A trip to Lancashire for Portsmouth as John Mousinho’s side as the Blues travel to Deepdale to visit Preston North End.
Preston sealed a 1-1 draw midweek away at Sunderland, however an FA Cup quarter final looms for Paul Heckingbottom sides after the international break.
North End will welcome Unai Emery’s Aston Villa, leaving the possibility that Heckingbottom may rest players for the visit of Pompey.
Can the Blues get back to winning ways? Or will Portsmouth have to wait until after the International break to get 3 points again.
Portsmouth: 13. Schmid (GK), 3. Ogilvie, 7. Pack (C) (18. Bramall), 5. Poole (C), 22. Swanson, 21. Dozzell, 8. Potts (11. O’Mahony), 23. Murphy, 17. Aouchiche, 30. Ritchie (14. Gordon), 9. Bishop (Formation: 4-2-3-1)
Unused subs: 31. Archer (GK), 4. Towler, 10. Yengi, 20. Waddingham, 24. Devlin, 45. Hayden
Goals: Aouchiche 89’
Bookings: Bramall 90+7’, Aouchiche 90+9’
Head coach: John Mousinho
Plymouth: 21. Hazard (GK), 5. Pleguezuelo (6. Szucs), 25. Katic, 40. Talovierov, 17. Puchacz, 18. Gyabi, 4. Houghton, 29. Sorinola, 9. Hardie (2. Mumba), 14. Obafemi (11. Wright), 15. Bundu (3. Ogbeta) (Formation: 3-5-2)
Unused subs: 31. Grimshaw (GK), 8. Edwards, 19. Boateng, 28. Al Haij, 35. Issaka
Goals: Bundu 44’, Hardie 49’
Bookings: Sorinola 86’ (second yellow card), Gyabi 90+6’
Manager: Miron Muslić
Venue: Fratton Park
Referee: Matthew Donohue
Attendance: 20,394 (including 1,401 Plymouth fans)
For more reflection on this evening's game, download and listen back to the Pompey Live: Extra-Time podcast - Jake Smith, Kirsty Roxanne and Danny Thompson were on hand to deliver post-match analysis after the full-time whistle at Fratton Park.
Tune in for the next instalment of The Football Hour this Friday (March 14th) evening from 6pm for further reaction to tonight's match and a preview of Saturday's clash with Preston North End at Deepdale.
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