Portsmouth secured a 1-0 win against Norwich City at Carrow Road on Sunday, marking a strong response following their narrow derby defeat to Southampton last weekend. The decisive moment came in the 50th minute when striker Marko Milovanovic converted a penalty after Jacob Wright was adjudged to have fouled Abu Kamara inside the box.
Portsmouth head coach John Mousinho commended his squad for their resilience in the aftermath of the 1-0 loss to Southampton. “I wanted the players to remember the pain from the derby defeat and channel it positively,” Mousinho said. He highlighted the team’s recent form, pointing to a midweek 3-2 victory over Sheffield United as a stepping stone to Sunday’s result. “All credit to the players; they deserved to win. We were excellent in the first half, creating chances and applying pressure.”
The match began with a minute’s applause in tribute to Norwich’s former joint majority shareholder Michael Wynn-Jones, who passed away earlier this month. Despite the emotional gesture, the opening stages were largely subdued, with neither side producing significant efforts on goal during the first 35 minutes.
Portsmouth broke the deadlock early in the second half following sustained pressure. Milovanovic, who notched his third goal of the season, calmly converted the penalty that followed after Kamara was fouled by Wright. Norwich sought to respond, with Anis Ben Slimane testing Portsmouth goalkeeper Nicholas Schmidt and Jovon Makama failing to capitalize on a volley after a cross from substitute Lucien Mahovo.
The Canaries maintained their intensity and were close to equalizing in the 77th minute when Pelle Mattsson’s shot from the edge of the box struck the upright. However, Portsmouth’s defense held firm for the remainder of the match, seeing out the victory.
Mousinho expressed confidence in his squad’s current form and potential for further improvement, particularly with injured players expected to return soon. The win at Norwich underscores Portsmouth’s determination to recover momentum following their recent setback in the local derby and continued progression in the league.