Portsmouth finish Championship survival mission with Birmingham City draw
Pompey played out a 1-1 draw with Birmingham City as the curtain came down on the 2025-26 season at Fratton Park.
That man Adrian Segecic opened the scoring before August Priske levelled it from a corner, with both the goals coming in the first half.
The point ensured Pompey finished on 55 points - topping their total from last term - as they finished 18th in the table.
Pompey took the lead after eight minutes through Segecic, who smashed home Jordan Williams’ cross from 12 yards.
Jay Stansfield then spurned a totally free header at the back post, before a heavy touch from Segecic saw him fail to make more of an opening for a second.
It was all square after 19 minutes, with Priske afforded the freedom of the Pompey box to head home from a corner.
Conor Chaplin then replaced the injured John Swift with the match descending into an untidy affair, before Ben Killip saved well from Carlos Vicente two minutes before the break.
Big chances game at both ends after the restart, as Ibrahim Osman fired wide from Bright Osayi-Samuel’s cross, before James Beadle’s reaction stop kept out Chaplin’s sweetly hit 20-yard volley.
Milli Alli was then caught in a footrace by Osayi-Samuel, as he broke clear on goal from the halfway line.
Pompey were appealing for a penalty in the 63rd minute as Vicente challenged Segecic, but replays show contact just outside the box.
The woodwork saved Luke Le Roux’s blushes with 17 minutes left, as he lost possession and Osman’s effort from a tight angle came back off the bar.
The game then exploded after Pompey returned the ball to the visitors after an injury. Birmingham didnt play it, however, with Segecic eventually running through and lofting a shot just over. A bust-up on the pitch and bench ensued with a fan on the pitch and led off by stewards.
Segecic found himself bizarrely booked at the end of the episode despite being the victim of a pile on, with Fratton riled up by the events.
Tommy Doyle fired over from 25 yards with time ticking down before Ibane Bowat saved a winner from the visitors with a late intervention after Osman’s run.
Fratton boomed to calls for John Mousinho to stay at PO4 across the game’s final, as the curtain came down on the season with spoils shared.