Portsmouth secured their inaugural victory of the Championship campaign with a convincing 3-1 win over Lincoln City at Sincil Bank, ending the Imps' long wait for a triumph in the second tier that has stretched back more than six decades. After dropping their first two fixtures by identical scorelines, the visitors found themselves under pressure early in the match, but a swift seventh‑minute strike from Ryan Kavuma‑McQueen gave them the momentum they needed to dictate the proceedings. Kavuma‑McQueen, operating on the left flank of the penalty area, received a precise pass and unleashed a low, driven effort that slipped under the outstretched arms of Lincoln goalkeeper Nicolas Schmid and nestled into the bottom corner.
The goal came as the first genuine attack of the game, instantly putting Portsmouth on the front foot. Just nine minutes later, Adrian Segecic doubled the lead. The Australian midfielder collected a free‑kick from the edge of the box and, with his left foot, curled a powerful shot past Lincoln keeper George Wickens, making it 2-0. The half‑hour mark saw Lincoln pull one back when Reeco Hackett converted a penalty after referee adjudged that a 20‑yard effort from Adam Reach had been handled by defender Zak Swanson.
The spot‑kick reduced the deficit to 2-1, offering the home side a glimmer of hope. The Imps began the encounter brightly, earning a free‑kick just outside the area within the opening two minutes, but Reach's attempt was comfortably saved by Schmid.
A subsequent corner from Ivan Varfolomeev was cleared, only for his second set‑piece to be met by captain Tendayi Darikwa, whose first‑time effort was deflected away, leading to another corner. Freddie Draper then found Ben House in a promising position, but House's shot lacked the necessary power, allowing Schmid to make an easy save.
Portsmouth’s dominance was evident when, after the early goal, they continued to press. A looping header from Colby Bishop was gathered safely by Wickens, while Segecic’s second goal, a bullet‑like free‑kick, cemented the visitors’ control of the game.
The first half ended with Portsmouth firmly in command, despite Lincoln’s brief respite from the penalty. The second half began with a setback for Lincoln when Darikwa was forced off after ten minutes due to a knee injury, prompting the home side to introduce record signing Andrei Coubis. Both teams struggled to create clear chances as the sun shone brightly over the ProAmpac Stadium, with the midfield battling for possession but failing to produce decisive openings. Portsmouth’s breakthrough came in the 69th minute when substitute Ebrima Adams was given space in the middle of the park.
He surged forward and unleashed a stunning 25‑yard strike that flew past Wickens into the net, effectively sealing the win at 3-1. The goal was described by commentators as a "sucker‑punch" that left the Imps with little time to recover. Segecic came close to adding a fourth shortly before the final whistle, but his low effort was comfortably saved by Wickens, preserving the 3-1 scoreline. Post‑match, Lincoln manager expressed disappointment: "It was a disappointing result on what was a huge day for the club.
I thought we were dominant for the majority of the first half, but we were really disappointed with the goals we conceded. After a good start, the first goal knocked the wind out of our sails.
I was pleased with how we responded, but the second half just petered out a bit. I thought Freddy (Draper) and Ben (House) caused their defence a lot of problems in the first half, which was great to see. We can't, though, concede as many goals as we have in the past couple of games. We've got to go away and think of how we're going to be more solid." Portsmouth captain John Mousinho praised his side’s performance, noting the context of the opposition: "I thought it was excellent.
If you take everything under consideration and the context of the game, against a side who took 103 points last year, then I think it was a very, very good performance. There were two aspects I was pleased with - we stood up to Lincoln's physical threat pretty well for the most part, and then when we settled down and played, we broke through the lines well and had a real attacking threat at the top of the pitch.
I still think there were a couple of defensive moments where we could have done better - their goal I haven't got an issue with - but largely against a very different test, I think we handled it well and got the reaction we needed." The victory marks Portsmouth's first three points of the season and provides a much‑needed boost after a shaky start. Lincoln, meanwhile, remain on the hunt for their first win in the Championship since their promotion, a drought that now stretches back over 60 years. Both teams will look to build on the lessons from this encounter as the league progresses.