Ilias Chair proved decisive, finding the net twice as Queens Park Rangers rallied from an early setback to secure a 3-1 triumph over Portsmouth, marking their first victory at Fratton Park in 26 years. Portsmouth started the match in commanding fashion, dominating the first thirty minutes and taking the lead when Terry Devlin unleashed a powerful long‑range strike that left the QPR goalkeeper staring at the back of the net. However, the visitors responded emphatically before the break. Within a fifteen‑minute spell, QPR struck three times, turning the game on its head and clinching their first away win at the south‑coast venue since May 2000.
The line‑ups featured a few noteworthy names. Portsmouth included their recent £2.5 million signing Abu Kamara in the starting eleven, while QPR handed league debuts to goalkeeper Pierce Charles and midfielder Boy Kemper. The opening minutes saw Adrian Segecic deliver a corner that Conor Shaughnessy headed wide, after which summer acquisition Luke Brooke‑Smith unleashed a ferocious shot from about 25 yards, only to be comfortably saved by Charles. QPR’s first chance of the night arrived in the 12th minute.
Portsmouth failed to clear a corner properly, and Chair’s effort was blocked at the by‑line by defender Ebou Adams, denying him an early lead. Three minutes later, Devlin, the Northern Ireland international, rewarded his team’s dominance with a spectacular thirty‑yard curler that nestled into the top corner of Charles’ net, giving Pompey a deserved 1‑0 advantage. The match was broadcast live on Sky, and fans could also follow free Championship highlights on their mobile devices. QPR’s momentum was briefly interrupted when Boy Kemper suffered an injury after just twenty minutes and was forced to leave the field.
Portsmouth came close to doubling their lead when Abu Kamara found himself on the receiving end of a teasing far‑post cross from Zak Swanson, but the chance went unanswered. The home side seemed to relish the atmosphere, playing in front of a near‑full crowd of roughly 21,000 under bright south‑coast sunshine. Segecic continued to create trouble, latching onto a clever flick‑on from Colby Bishop before whipping in a cross that Brooke‑Smith failed to connect with cleanly. Later, after being set through by Kamara, Segecic’s shot drifted wide under pressure from Jake Clarke‑Salter.
Just before the half‑hour mark, QPR equalised in a manner that defied the flow of the game. Chair found space unmarked and, from point‑blank range, toe‑poked the ball home following a cross from Harvey Vale, bringing the score to 1‑1. The home fans were left stunned seven minutes later when Koki Saito’s strike from just inside the penalty area ricocheted off both Devlin and Rocco Shein, wrong‑footing goalkeeper Nicolas Schmid and restoring Portsmouth’s lead to 2‑1. In first‑half stoppage time, Chair struck again.
After Amadou Mbengue delivered a cross, Chair met it with a simple, clinical finish to make it 2‑2, sparking celebrations among the QPR faithful. The second half began with Portsmouth appearing poised to extend their advantage.
Charles passed directly to Kamara, who, with a half‑open goal before him, chose to shoot timidly at the keeper rather than capitalize on the opportunity. Chair, who was named man of the match, came close to a hat‑trick but was denied by a superb save from Schmid, who used his legs at the near post to keep the ball out.
Substitute Josh Murphy added a shot that rattled the side netting and fired two more attempts at the far post, yet Portsmouth never truly threatened to mount a comeback. Portsmouth captain John Mousinho reflected on the game: "It was a really strange match.
We controlled the first 25 minutes and earned a rightful lead. Mentally we seemed to ease off after scoring, and we fell apart.
Conceding drained our energy, leading to poor decisions and a loss of dominance. We created chances in the second half but gave away too many opportunities.
We gave ourselves 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 for the whole game.
I’m proud of the calmness our players showed and how they stuck to the plan. We scored a good first goal and were efficient with the second and third. We managed the early part of the second half well. My only regret is that we didn’t add another, as we had clear chances.
If we had, we could have sealed the game. We need to improve in some areas, but overall I’m positive after this performance." The match also featured a promotional element, encouraging fans to play the Super 6 competition for a chance to win £250,000, with entry available for free. Overall, the encounter showcased QPR’s ability to overturn early adversity, the impact of a decisive striker in Chair, and the importance of maintaining focus throughout both halves of a Championship fixture.