Mousinho concedes Portsmouth ‘got away with one’ in fortunate 2-1 win over Millwall

Portsmouth defeated Millwall 2-1 at Fratton Park in a match affected by poor weather conditions, according to Southwark News. The encounter on the south coast saw both sides commit defensive errors that led to goals. Millwall took an early lead when Portsmouth goalkeeper Nicholas Schmid played a goal kick directly to Jenson Metcalfe, who curled the ball into the net. Portsmouth equalised when Lyndon Dykes deflected the ball into his own net, before securing victory in the 80th minute through an own goal by Jake Cooper after Thomas Waddingham's attempted clearance.

Portsmouth manager John Mousinho acknowledged his side had not deserved the victory, as reported by Southwark News. He stated the team had capitalised on fortune rather than superior performance, describing the match as one where Portsmouth had managed to escape with three points despite being outplayed at times. Mousinho accepted personal responsibility for Millwall's opening goal, noting that when asking players to build from the back, such errors were inevitable.

The contest was hampered by Storm Austen, which had impacted the south coast in the days before the fixture. Despite Portsmouth's investment in drainage infrastructure, the pitch remained noticeably affected throughout. Both teams struggled with ball control and positioning in the difficult conditions, with misplaced passes and slips commonplace. Millwall appeared more comfortable operating in the challenging weather and maintained pressure on Portsmouth's possession-based approach, forcing the home team to defend intensely.

Mousinho praised his squad's resilience and work rate despite the unconvincing performance. He highlighted their ability to remain committed and compact in defence as factors that ultimately secured the result. The victory provided Portsmouth with relief on a day when their usual fluid style was compromised by external conditions and opponent pressure.