Report: Portsmouth 1-0 Leeds United — Leedsunited.com 9/3/25
Leeds United fell to a narrow defeat away against Portsmouth, with Colby Bishop’s strike just after the hour mark proving the difference at Fratton Park.
The Whites knew they were in for a battle under the sunshine
on the south coast, with the home side looking to test the visiting defence
early on with plenty of high balls into the box.
Pascal Struijk and Joe Rodon stood up well to the tests in
the opening stages. The only real chance of note was from range, as Freddie
Potts saw his 25-yard strike deflected wide.
At the other end, good link up play from Dan James and Joel
Piroe created an opening, but when James was able to collect in the box and
shoot, Pompey were back in numbers and managed to block the effort and clear.
The atmosphere inside the stadium was continuing to impress,
with both sets of supporters urging on their sides, but chances were limited.
The best opening of the half came towards its conclusion.
Manor Solomon created space to shoot and his effort was saved by Nicolas Schmid
before landing to Piroe, who hit the target, only to see Schmid save again,
meaning the teams went in level at the break.
HALF TIME: Portsmouth 0-0 Leeds United
Back out for the second half, both teams continued where
they had left off, looking to attack one another in search of an opening goal.
It should have been Leeds who found one, with a quick
counter-attack creating an opening. James raced clear down the right, found
Solomon who rounded the ‘keeper before pulling the ball back for Piroe, but the
striker fired over the bar.
Just after the hour mark and deadlock was broken. A long
ball over the top of the Whites’ defence allowed Bishop to run in behind and
his finish found the back of the net, off the inside of the post.
Daniel Farke immediately looked to his bench as the Whites
searched for a quickfire response, with Mateo Joseph, Largie Ramazani and Joe
Rothwell all entering the action.
With 15 minutes of normal time remaining, the visitors went
desperately close to restoring parity. Piroe and Junior Firpo initially
combined superbly, seeing the full-back race through before he was denied by
Schmid.
Leeds were then thwarted by the woodwork, with Firpo seeing
a thunderous header cannon off the crossbar before winger James was unable to
guide a follow up effort on target from the rebound.
Despite the mounting pressure from United, the home side
then went close to extending their lead when Josh Murphy rifled a fizzing
strike which hit the outside of the post from distance.
James then swung in a dangerous ball for the recently
introduced Joseph at the back post, but good defending from a blue shirt
averted the danger and the hosts survived.
Farke’s side threw everything forward as they tried to
salvage a point. In the dying seconds, Byram almost did just that – rising
highest to meet a Rothwell corner – though Schmid made an impressive acrobatic
intervention, before the full-time whistle sounded.