In a thrilling SkyBet Championship match, Adrian Segecic made history by scoring his first EFL hat-trick, leading Portsmouth to a 3-1 victory over Stoke at the bet365 Stadium. This marked Portsmouth's first-ever win at the stadium. Segecic, an Australian-born Croatian, opened the scoring in the 32nd minute, netted again in the 66th minute after Lamine Cisse's equalizer, and sealed the win with a stunning 20-yard left-footed effort eight minutes from time. The win was Portsmouth's first away victory at Stoke since February 1995, when they played at the Victoria Ground.
This significant win ensured Stoke would experience their eighth consecutive bottom-half finish since being relegated from the Premier League in 2018. Portsmouth, having secured their safety from relegation, returned to action after their 5-1 defeat to Coventry, which had clinched the Championship title for Frank Lampard's side.
Manager John Mousinho made five changes to the lineup, including Austrian keeper Nicolas Schmid. However, understudy Josef Bursik, starting for the first time since an FA Cup defeat by Arsenal, left the field due to injury within three minutes, and Ben Killip replaced him.
Around 3,000 Pompey fans celebrated their recent Championship survival, enjoying the action despite the less-than-enthralling start. Segecic broke the deadlock 13 minutes from the break, collecting a pass from Harvey Blair and firing a rising left-footed shot beyond Tommy Simkin for his eighth goal of the season. Stoke rallied, with Cisse's back post effort denied by Killip, and the home side was booed off at halftime. The jeers turned to cheers three minutes into the second half as Cisse headed in an in-swinging corner from player-of-the-season Thomas.
Segecic restored Portsmouth's lead after 66 minutes, stabbing the ball home from three yards after Josh Murphy's cross. He rounded off his memorable display with his third goal, securing a 3-1 win for Portsmouth.
Following the match, the Stoke manager expressed his disappointment and frustration with the team's performance, emphasizing the need for change. Portsmouth's John Mousinho, on the other hand, reaffirmed his commitment to the club, stating his full focus is on Portsmouth and his desire to start 'kicking on' if they get things right.