League One and Two teams aspire to join the EFL Championship due to its huge following and perks. Portsmouth had the same goal when they hosted Barnsley at Fratton Park on April 16th. John Mousinho’s players required a point before last evening’s match to get promoted to the Championship. They led the League One standings with 91 points. Nevertheless, Barnsley weren’t ready to give Portsmouth an easy win.
Portsmouth vs. Barnsley Match Highlights
Devante Cole opened the scoring sheet in the sixth minute giving Barnsley an early lead. Kusini Yengi equalized for the Blues in the ninth minute. The teams sought a second goal but the first half ended in a 1-1 draw.
John McAtee netted the ball in the 59th minute earning Barnsley a 2-1 lead. But it didn’t last long as Colby Bishop scored a penalty for Portsmouth in the 83rd minute. Conor Shaughnessy scored the winning goal in the 89th minute and the match ended 3-2 in favor of the hosts.
Portsmouth End a Long Absence at the Championship
Portsmouth’s victory at Fratton Park earned them a promotion to the Championship, 12 years since they left it. The team got several relegations to League Two due to financial constraints. They started regaining stability in 2017 when Michael Eisner, Disney’s CEO bought the club aiming at returning it to the Premier League.
This was after Paul Cook helped them win the League Two trophy. The Blues have competed in League One for seven seasons. John Mousinho succeeded Danny Cowley as the team’s head coach on 20 January 2023, this being his first managerial position. Yet, he has successfully transformed Portsmouth into the third-tier best team. They only have four losses this season and have won 27 games.
Portsmouth beat Shrewsbury 3-1 on April 6th before having a 1-1 draw with Bolton on April 13th. The two games’ results increased their promotion chances. Still, they will play two more games before the 2023/2024 season ends.
Michael Eisner congratulated the Blues in a tweet yesterday, “Congratulations to all of Pompey! From the players to all of the staff to the fans – what an accomplishment to celebrate with the city of Portsmouth! Congrats to Andrew Cullen, Rich Hughes, and John Mousinho for putting together a supergroup of footballers. That has made all the difference.”
The Bolton vs. Shrewsbury Fixture Favors Portsmouth
Bolton welcomed Shrewsbury at Toughsheet Community Stadium on April 16th. The visitors stunned spectators when they held the hosts at a 2-2 draw despite being the underdogs. Their fixture’s results favored the Blues as they will win the League One title. Besides, they can end the season with 100 points once they win their remaining matches.
Read more from Edward and other great writers! Check out all the great content Total Apex Sports has to offer. Check us out on X @TotalApexSports and our other sites: Total Apex Sports Bets and Total Apex Fantasy Sports. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel, where we do several shows daily. Make sure you follow us on NewsBreak as well.
