Wayne Rooney’s Plymouth claimed their first win in five Championship matches after beating bottom-placed Portsmouth 1-0.
Second-half substitute Michael Obafemi scored an 82nd minute solo goal to ignite this south-coast meeting at a sold-out Home Park.
The 24-year-old Republic of Ireland striker muscled Pompey skipper Regan Poole off a long through ball from Argyle keeper Dan Grimshaw before smashing a first time low strike into the corner past keeper Nicolas Schmid.
Argyle had an early scare when Poole had a far-post effort disallowed for offside.
Recalled playmaker Morgan Whittaker set up Argyle’s first attack of substance in the sixth minute with a brilliant break from deep inside his own half, before releasing the ball to Darko Gyabi.
Gyabi – like Whittaker another Rooney recall – sped the ball across the box to Rami Al Hajj, but it skidded off the attacking midfielder.
It took 10 minutes to force a corner but when they did Schmid’s punched clearance only flew as far as Hungarian central defender Kornel Szucs, who acrobatically sent the ball towards the top corner, where the Pompey keeper gathered safely.
Portsmouth had the better of the opening exchanges with left-back Connor Ogilvie’s far-post header saved on the line by Grimshaw as Pompey forced another corner in the 16th minute.
Freddie Potts’ cross from the left after 35 minutes should have been converted but Portsmouth had better fortune with their next foray into Plymouth’s penalty area.
Josh Murphy’s cross, again from the left, was acrobatically headed towards goal by the diving Matt Ritchie, but Grimshaw was equal to the effort.
That seemed to ignite Plymouth and, at the other end, Gyabi went close when he latched on to an Andre Gray goalwards header, first-timing just wide.
Just before half-time Portsmouth midfielder Potts sent a long angled grass-cutter just wide of goal.
Andre Dozzell let fly with a half-volley on the run which flew just over Grimshaw’s bar from 20 yards in the 54th minute and seconds later Kusini Yengi sent an inviting, pacy cross across the face of goal that cried out for a far-post finish.
Argyle’s best opportunity fell to experienced midfielder Jordan Houghton, after he was teed up just inside the box. Houghton kept his shot low and to the corner but Schmid, at full stretch, managed to tip the ball around his post.
A 63rd-minute Whittaker solo effort was ruled out for offside before Obafemi struck to leave Argyle unbeaten in their last five home matches.
Interim boss Stephen Frail expects Motherwell to appoint a new manager next week and admits their first job will be to lift the players’ confidence after a 3-0 mauling at home to Ross County.A double from Ronan Hale and Connor Randall’s last-minute strike secured an impressive victory for the Staggies at Fir Park.Defeat sees the Steelmen drop into the bottom half of the Premiership tab...
Mark Hughes heaped praise on goalkeeper Gabe Breeze after Carlisle picked up a vital point in the League Two relegation battle with a goalless draw against in-form Colchester at Brunton Park.Breeze made two excellent saves from Lyle Taylor as the Cumbrians ended a four-game losing run and the former Man City boss was astounded by the 21-year-old’s performance.He said: “The game had som...
Chesterfield boss Paul Cook launched a scathing attack on his play-off hopefuls after they surrendered an early lead to lose 3-1 at Sky Bet League Two table-toppers Walsall.The Spireites enjoyed a rapid start when Jamie Grimes’ eighth-minute header put them ahead against a wobbling Walsall side, who were winless in five matches with the chasing pack closing in.However, Bim Pepple and Dylan D...
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has allayed fears of an injury scare to top scorer Erling Haaland ahead of next week’s Champions League trip to Real Madrid.Haaland went down clutching his leg in the latter stages of the champions’ 4-0 Premier League thrashing of Newcastle at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday and was immediately substituted.Losing the Norwegian would be a major blow to ...
Rotherham manager Steve Evans described Thomas Parsons’ performance as “atrocious” after the referee awarded a stoppage-time penalty from which Reading snatched a 2-1 victory in League One.Reading had led 1-0 at half-time through top scorer Harvey Knibbs but Sam Nombe levelled for Rotherham from a spot-kick in the 57th minute.With the game heading for a draw, Parsons adjudged Mil...
Michael Flynn believes his team can make a charge towards the League Two play-offs places after watching them come from 2-0 down to beat Barrow 3-2 at home.Matty Taylor scored twice before fellow substitute Ashley Hay hit the winner as the Robins continued their perfect home record in 2025.Cheltenham climbed to 13th in the table and sit eight points off seventh-placed Crewe with two games in hand....
Birmingham manager Chris Davies praised Jay Stansfield’s work ethic after he lit up St Andrew’s with the only goal of a 1-0 win to sink play-off chasing Charlton.Stansfield’s 23rd-minute strike stretched City’s lead to nine points ahead of second-placed Wycombe, with Blues boasting a game in hand.Victory was City’s 30th in all competitions as they extended their unbea...
Andoni Iraola refused to get carried away after Bournemouth fans were left dreaming of a potential Champions League adventure following a first league double over south-coast rivals Southampton.Travelling Cherries fans chanted of playing in European football’s premier competition next season after their side soared to fifth spot in the Premier League table thanks to a deserved 3-1 success at...
Norwich head coach Johannes Hoff Thorup praised his side for fighting back to draw 1-1 at Hull after he demanded “I want to see my football team back”.The Norwich boss had some tough words for his team as they trailed 1-0 at half-time to the relegation-threatened side, including for Kellen Fisher – but the player then delivered the assist for Josh Sargent’s equaliser.The Un...
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers says Jota has a chance of starting against Bayern Munich after scoring and impressing in a 3-0 victory over Dundee United.Jota earned the club’s man-of-the-match award after cutting in from the left and curling home from 18 yards to double the lead given to the hosts by another impressive finish from Callum McGregor.The Portuguese winger has now started two gam...
