Ilias Chair proved decisive once again, netting two goals as Queens Park Rangers rallied from a deficit to defeat Portsmouth 3-1, marking their first triumph at Fratton Park in 26 years. The match began with Portsmouth asserting dominance for the first thirty minutes, culminating in a spectacular long‑range strike from Terry Devlin that gave the home side an early lead.
Despite the early setback, QPR responded emphatically before the break. Within a fifteen‑minute window, they scored three times, turning the game on its head and securing a historic away win that had eluded them since May 2000. Portsmouth introduced their £2.5 million signing Abu Kamara into the starting lineup, while QPR handed league debuts to goalkeeper Pierce Charles and midfielder Boy Kemper, adding a fresh dynamic to the visitors’ side. The opening minutes saw Adrian Segecic deliver a corner that Conor Shaughnessy headed wide, and summer acquisition Luke Brooke‑Smith unleashed a powerful shot from 25 yards, only to see it comfortably caught by the newly‑minted QPR keeper, Pierce Charles.
The first real chance for QPR arrived in the 12th minute when Portsmouth failed to clear a corner properly; Chair’s effort was blocked at the line by defender Ebou Adams. Portsmouth’s deserved lead materialised in the 15th minute when Northern Ireland international Terry Devlin curled a stunning 30‑yard effort into the top corner of Charles’ net, leaving the QPR keeper with little chance. The crowd of nearly 21,000, basking in the south‑coast sunshine, cheered as the home side seemed in control. QPR’s momentum shifted when Boy Kemper was forced off after only twenty minutes due to injury, prompting a tactical reshuffle.
Portsmouth nearly doubled their advantage when Abu Kamara threatened to connect with a teasing far‑post cross from Zak Swanson, but the chance went unanswered. The visitors continued to press. Segecic, displaying his dangerous instincts, latched onto a clever flick‑on from Colby Bishop and whipped in a cross that Brooke‑Smith could not convert. Later, after being fed through by Kamara, Segecic’s shot drifted wide under pressure from Jake Clarke‑Salter.
The breakthrough for QPR came twelve minutes before halftime. Chair, left unmarked, toe‑poked a cross from Harvey Vale at point‑blank range, restoring parity and sending the away fans into raptures.
The home side’s composure wavered further when, seven minutes later, Koki Saito struck from just inside the box; his effort ricocheted off Devlin and Rocco Shein before wrong‑footing goalkeeper Nicolas Schmid, who could only watch as the ball found the net to make it 2‑1. In first‑half stoppage time, Chair completed his brace. After a precise cross from Amadou Mbengue, Chair calmly slotted the ball past a bewildered Schmid, capitalising on Portsmouth’s defensive lapses and sealing a 3‑1 lead. The second half offered Portsmouth a glimmer of hope.
Ten minutes in, Charles found Kamara with a through ball, but the striker’s shot was lacklustre, merely grazing the keeper and missing a golden opportunity to pull one back. Throughout the remainder of the match, substitute Josh Murphy tried to spark a comeback, sending a shot into the side netting and firing two more attempts at goal, yet the hosts never truly threatened QPR’s lead. John Mousinho of Portsmouth reflected on the game: "It was a really strange match.
We controlled the first 25 minutes and earned a well‑deserved lead. After scoring, we seemed to lose our intensity and fell apart.
Conceding drained our energy, leading to poor decisions and a loss of dominance. We created chances in the second half but also gave away too many opportunities, leaving ourselves with too much to do." QPR manager Julien Stephan praised his side’s resilience: "Fratton Park is always a tough venue with an intense atmosphere.
Portsmouth started strongly, but they couldn’t sustain that tempo throughout the game. I’m proud of the calmness our players showed and how they stuck to the plan. We scored a solid first goal and were efficient with the second and third. We managed the early part of the second half well, though I regret not adding another.
If we had, we could have sealed the game. There are areas to improve, but overall I remain positive after this performance." Chair’s performance earned him the Man of the Match award, though a smart save from Schmid’s legs denied him a hat‑trick. The victory not only broke a 26‑year drought at Fratton Park but also provided QPR with a morale‑boosting win that could prove pivotal in their campaign. The match concluded with QPR celebrating their comeback, while Portsmouth were left to ponder missed chances and the need for greater consistency in future fixtures.
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