Norwich City 1-1 Portsmouth: Pompey boost survival hopes hopes with late draw
Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship match between Norwich City and Portsmouth at Carrow Road on Good Friday; Portsmouth put a desperate run of form behind them to boost their hopes of Championship survival with a gritty 1-1 draw
Friday 3 April 2026 18:24, UK
Portsmouth put a desperate run of form behind them to boost their hopes of Championship survival with a gritty 1-1 draw at an in-form Norwich side.
An 84th-minute own goal from Pelle Mattsson earned the visitors a precious point after the same player had also opened the scoring for the Canaries midway through the opening half.
The late leveller was no more than Pompey deserved after taking a single point from their previous six games, while it ended a superb home run from Norwich, who had won their previous seven matches at Carrow Road.
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After a scrappy start, Norwich gradually began to take control and Mathias Kvistgaarden was unlucky when his audacious scissor kick from Paris Maghoma's header back into the danger area was deflected just wide.
However, the hosts did not have to wait long for the opener, with Mattsson firing home his second goal in successive games after 26 minutes.
A ball into the box should have been dealt with by Pompey but Madiodio Dia's clearance was a poor one and fell nicely for the Danish midfielder, who took a couple of paces forward before planting his shot firmly into the bottom corner.
Portsmouth continued to make a match of it as the half progressed and almost equalised on the half-hour mark when Marlon Pack's in-swinging corner hit the upright, prompting a hectic goalmouth scramble which eventually ended with the Canaries hacking the ball clear.
The visitors continued their fight for an equaliser after the break but struggled to create any chances of note, while Norwich seemed content to quietly manage the game.
The first attempt on goal of a dull second period did not arrive until the 81st minute, with Mattsson sending a looping header just wide.
However, it was Pompey who grabbed the second goal of the game three minutes later.
Andre Dozzell's free-kick from the left was flicked on by Colby Bishop with Mattsson, under pressure from Regan Poole, diverting the ball into his own net.
Ali Ahmed fired a volley straight at Nicholas Schmid as Norwich sought a response but the visitors held on for a deserved point.
The managers
Norwich's Philippe Clement:
"I think it was a game we should have won. We had a few good moments in the first half and there were other times when we got ourselves into good positions and the final pass went astray. They had just one shot on target and I don't remember us conceding many chances.
"I don't think there was any doubt we were the better side on the ball but in games like this you really need a second goal, because if you don't get a second something like this can happen. They score late in the game and it doesn't give us much time to react.
"We were missing some of our international players from the starting line-up and I am not happy with some of the managers who didn't stick to their plans about how long they should play. But it is what it is and we have to get on with it."
Portsmouth's John Mousinho:
"I am really pleased with both the point and the performance after what happened in our last match. It was just what we needed going into another big game on Monday [at home to fellow strugglers Oxford].
"The first half was a bit cagey from our standpoint but we needed a reaction from two weeks ago when we were 3-0 down after 20 minutes. We weren't exactly peppering their goal but we managed the game well and got into some decent positions, and in the second half I thought we pinned them back for long stages.
"We kept going and in the end we got our goal - and I think on the overall balance of play we deserved a point.
"I know Norwich started the season badly but they are one of the best sides in the league, certainly top four based on their form. To come here and get a positive result shows we can mix it with the best when we apply ourselves properly."
