Segecic the hero as Portsmouth start Championship campaign in style at Oxford United

Pompey’s season got off to a flier with opening-day victory at Oxford.

New boy Adrian Segecic’s first-half goal proved the difference after a Cameron Brannagan gaffe at the Kassam Stadium.

It was a well-deserved three points for John Mousinho’s side, who looked full of endeavour and energy going forward - and defensively resolute.

Callum Lang was the standout performer with the likes of Segecic also shining, while the Blues’ defence largely reduced the home side to threat from Will Vaulks’ long throw.

Colby Bishop returned to the starting line-up despite injury concerns over the striker, but star man Josh Murphy was unexpectedly missing from the squad.

Florian Bianchini missed an early chance as he miscued his header at the back post from Callum Lang’s deep cross.

Lang then burst into the box but opts for a cross when a more direct route to goal may have reaped dividends.

Bianchini then spurned a golden chance in the 22nd minute as Segecic, Bishop and Lang combined to free the loanee but his finish was weak and at Jamie Cumming from 12 yards.

There was a scramble in the Pompey box four minutes later from a long Will Vaulks throw but the ball ended up in Nicolas Schmid’s grateful arms.

Cameron Brannagan then came to the fore as he drove down the left in the 33rd minute, but Schmid pushed away his low drive.

Then, five minutes later, his dreadful backpass put Bishop away. Cumming won their one-on-one duel but Segecic was there to slam home the loose ball from the edge of the box.

Oxford were then fuming before the break when Stan Mills went down in the box under Lang’s attentions. It looked like the winger initiating the contact convinced ref Dean Whitestone it wasn’t a penalty, but the home crowd certainly didn’t see it that way.

Segecic then saw his 25 yarder clawed away from Cumming at the end of a positive half for Pompey.

The home side’s impressive play continued following their first-half efforts after the restart, but first Stan Mills saw a low cross-shot from the byline pushed behind by Schmid.

Segecic then went it alone as he cut in from the right and angled a drive not too far over the top from inside the box.

Oxford had the ball in the net in the 61st minute as Will Lankshear heads in Brannagan’s deflected drive but the flag was correctly raised.

Then Yang Min-hyeok blazed over from inside the box moments after replacing Bianchini.

There was a nervy eight minutes of stoppage time to negotiate, but the Blues did the job to see out the victory.