Millwall 1 Portsmouth 3: Neil Allen's verdict - Finally life after Matt Ritchie as new hero emerges
The Blues have a new potential favourite after a starring role in successive wins in south-east London
It shouldn’t go unnoticed that Matt Ritchie has been excluded from Reading’s squad of late during their Leam Richardson-inspired resurgence.
Certainly there have been no reports of injury impacting the 36-year-old’s ongoing involvement in a season which has offered just seven League One starts to date.
Therefore, for those of us grossly uneducated on the Royals’ selection dilemmas, it appears a curious omission. After all, Pompey have spent the last six months scrambling around to identify his worthy successor for their right-wing slot.
There have been plenty of auditions, of course. Callum Lang, Terry Devlin, Florian Bianchini, Adrian Segecic, Mark Kosznovszky, Minhyeok Yang and Conor Chaplin have all been granted playing stints there.
In truth, whether through injury, form, ability or simply not suited to that specific role, none have provided the permanent solution John Mousinho has long strived for or a similar effectiveness from that right flank.
So it’s with a degree of irony that, as Ritchie slips out of the first-team picture at the Madejski Stadium, Gustavo Caballero has emerged at the same time to finally fill the chasm created by his Fratton Park departure in July 2025.
Eighth time lucky for Pompey
Unquestionably, they are completely different players, 12 years separating them for a start, yet. Such was the ex-Newcastle man’s pivotal influence last season, though, it has escalated into a problem position.
Not any longer, so it seems. Tantalisingly it appears it could be eighth time lucky for the Blues following the introduction of their Paraguay under-23 international, who lit up a 3-1 success over Millwall with a scintillating man-of-the-match performance.
It represented successive wins for Mousinho’s men for the first time in 10 months, unthinkably both arriving in the same week during trips to south-east London. Suddenly Pompey have precious momentum in their latest relegation battle.
Admittedly these are early days. Saturday was the winger’s third outing for the club and second start. Let us not forget, Bianchini created the winner for Thomas Waddingham in a pre-season friendly against PEC Zwolle.
Yet the early signs of the deadline-day recruit are hugely encouraging, at last providing Mousinho’s men with drive, pace and a consistent attacking threat down the right flank.
Lang could comfortably have been a long-term solution, but for injury and his desire to leave, while Segecic has enjoyed some good moments in a role which doesn’t bring the best out of his prodigious talents.
However, Caballero is a direct right-footed right winger, intent on going on the outside of his man, comfortable with pressing and, on occasions, demonstrating a willingness to mix it up by tracking back and also getting involved in tackles.
What’s more, several times in the first half, he conjured up some intelligent flighted deliveries into dangerous areas, delivered with laser-guided precision, having initially looked up to pinpoint where to attack.
Breaking the deadlock 20 seconds into the second half
Indeed, it was the loanee’s desire to chase and put pressure on the Millwall defence which resulted in the opening goal, just 20 seconds into the second half.
Colby Bishop won the header, subsequently being blocked by Jake Cooper in the process and rightly appealing for a free-kick which never came. However, the home defence failed to react to the loose ball quickly enough.
As they dithered, each leaving the other to deal with the situation, Caballero raced from his own half, past three hesitant Millwall defenders to retrieve the ball and break into their box, before firing in a fierce right-footed shot which Anthony Patterson did well to parry.
However, the Paraguayan then followed up with a first-time finish from the tightest of angles into the roof of the net to give the Blues the lead.
Just eight minutes later, on the opposite flank, Ebou Adams sent Millenic Alli racing down the left and, when he broke into the box, holding off Tristan Crama, the Luton loanee pulled the ball back.
There was John Swift, level with the penalty spot, to apply a first-time right-footed finish which Patterson was unable to keep out and it was 2-0.
Millwall lifeline
Casper De Norre pulled one back for Millwall on 64 minutes, with a lovely curling left-footed effort from inside the box which left Nicolas Schmid with no chance.
Yet it didn’t prove to be the lifeline the home support anticipated and, just three minutes later, when Swift’s left-wing corner caused problems, Adams saw his right-footed snap shot blocked on the line.
However, Marlon Pack followed up with a first-time right-footed attempt from 12-yards out which crashed into the net, marking his second of the campaign.
Just a week earlier, some were calling for Mousinho’s head following an agonising 90th-minute defeat to Sheffield United - now his name was being sung at the final whistle by the 3,178 travelling fans.
We will watch Caballero’s Fratton Park emergence with fascination - and hope.