Ilias Chair delivered a brace as Queens Park Rangers turned a deficit into a 3-1 triumph over Portsmouth, securing their first victory at Fratton Park in 26 years. The visitors began the match on the back foot, with the home side dominating the opening thirty minutes and taking the lead through a spectacular long-range strike from Terry Devlin. However, QPR responded emphatically, netting three goals within a fifteen‑minute spell before the interval, thereby breaking a two‑decade‑long away‑win drought at the south‑coast venue. Portsmouth lined up their £2.5 million signing Abu Kamara in the starting eleven, while QPR introduced league debuts for goalkeeper Pierce Charles and midfielder Boy Kemper.
The early action saw Adrian Segecic deliver a corner that was headed wide by Conor Shaughnessy, after which summer acquisition Luke Brooke‑Smith unleashed a powerful shot from about 25 yards, only to see it comfortably caught by the newly‑minted QPR custodian, Charles. The first chance for QPR arrived in the 12th minute when Portsmouth failed to clear a corner properly. Chair surged forward, but his effort was blocked at the by‑line by defender Ebou Adams.
Three minutes later, Northern Ireland international Terry Devlin rewarded his team’s dominance with a breathtaking 30‑yard curler that found the top corner of Charles’ net, giving Pompey a well‑deserved 1‑0 lead. The match continued at a frenetic pace. Segecic, showing his flair, latched onto a clever flick‑on from Colby Bishop and whipped in a cross that Brooke‑Smith could not connect with. He later forced a shot wide under pressure from Jake Clarke‑Salter after being set up by Kamara.
Despite Portsmouth’s near‑misses – including a tantalising cross from Zak Swanson that nearly found Kamara at the far post – the home side appeared to be enjoying the sunshine and the roar of a near‑full 21,000‑strong crowd. Just before the break, QPR equalised against the run of play.
Chair found himself unmarked in the box and calmly toe‑poked home from point‑blank range after Harvey Vale’s low cross, sending the visitors level at 1‑1. The home fans were stunned seven minutes later when Koki Saito, operating just inside the penalty area, struck a ball that ricocheted off Devlin and Rocco Shein, wrong‑footing goalkeeper Nicolas Schmid and pushing the score to 2‑1 in Portsmouth’s favour.
In first‑half stoppage time, Chair completed his brace. After Amadou Mbengue delivered a precise cross, Chair met it with a simple, well‑timed finish, restoring QPR’s lead to 2‑1.
The goal came after a period of defensive lapses that left the visitors with a clear chance to capitalize. The second half began with Portsmouth appearing to have an opportunity to halve the deficit. Charles released the ball directly to Kamara, who, with a half‑open goal before him, inexplicably chose to chip the ball gently back to the keeper rather than taking a shot, squandering a golden chance. Chair, who had been named man of the match, was denied a hat‑trick when Schmid made a reflex save with his legs at the near post.
Substitute Josh Murphy later forced a shot into the side netting and had two more attempts that clanged against the frame, but Portsmouth never truly threatened to overturn the result. Post‑match, Portsmouth captain John Mousinho reflected on the game: "It was a really strange game. We were in complete control for the first 25 minutes and took a deserved lead.
Mentally we must have taken our foot off the gas after that. After we scored we seemed to fall apart. Once we conceded that drained the energy out of us and we started making poor decisions and stopped dominating the game. We created some good chances in the second half but also gave away too many opportunities.
We gave ourselves too much to do." QPR manager Julien Stephan praised his side’s resilience: "This is always a tough place to come and a very intense atmosphere. Portsmouth started very strongly in the first 15 or 20 minutes but it was not possible for them to keep the same tempo for the whole game. What I appreciate a lot in this moment is the calmness of the players and how they stuck to the plan. We scored a good first goal, and after that were efficient on the second and the third and the third one.
We managed the first 25 or 30 minutes of the second half very well. My only regret in this period was that we could not score another one because we had some good opportunities to score. If we scored at that moment, we could kill the game. We have to improve on some things, but, in general, I want to be positive after this game." The victory not only ends a 26‑year wait for a win at Fratton Park but also provides QPR with vital momentum as they look ahead to the rest of the Championship campaign.
The match showcased the impact of a young, hungry squad, the importance of seizing moments, and the fine margins that often decide football matches.