Portsmouth secured their inaugural Championship victory of the season with a convincing 3-1 win at Lincoln City, 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 league matches by identical scorelines, the visitors found themselves under pressure early in the game, but a swift seventh‑minute strike from Ryan Kavuma‑McQueen gave them the initiative and set the tone for the rest of the afternoon. The opening goal came almost immediately after kickoff.
Portsmouth launched their first attack with purpose, and the ball was quickly played into the left side of the Lincoln penalty area where Kavuma‑McQueen met it with a low, driven effort that slipped past the outstretched arms of goalkeeper Nicolas Schmid and nestled in the bottom corner. The early lead lifted the Pompey side and forced Lincoln to chase the game from the outset. Just nine minutes later Adrian Segecic doubled Portsmouth's advantage. The Australian midfielder took a free‑kick from the edge of the box, curled it with his left foot and sent a bullet‑like shot into the top corner, leaving Lincoln keeper George Wickens with no chance.
At 2-0 the visitors were firmly in control, and the Imps were left to regroup and search for a response. Lincoln’s first chance came within the opening two minutes when they earned a free‑kick just outside the penalty area.
Adam Reach’s delivery was tipped over by Schmid, but the early pressure indicated that the home side were not going to be passive. A subsequent corner from Ivan Varfolomeev was cleared, only for a second set‑piece to be met by captain Tendayi Darikwa, whose first‑time effort was deflected away, resulting in another corner.
The Imps continued to press, with Freddie Draper threading a pass to Ben House, whose shot lacked power and was comfortably saved by Schmid. The half‑hour mark saw Lincoln pull one back when Reeco Hackett converted a penalty.
The spot‑kick was awarded after Reach’s 20‑yard strike was judged to have been handled by defender Zak Swanson as he attempted to block the shot. Hackett’s composure from the spot reduced the deficit to 2-1 and gave the home fans a glimmer of hope before the break. The second half began with both teams struggling to create clear-cut chances under the bright sun at the ProAmpac Stadium. Early on, a looping header from Colby Bishop was gathered by Wickens, and a subsequent effort from Segecic was saved.
Darikwa, who had been forced off with a knee injury ten minutes into the second half, was replaced by record signing Andrei Coubis, marking his home debut for Lincoln. Around the 60‑minute mark, Portsmouth’s substitute Ebrima Adams was given space in the middle of the pitch and seized the opportunity. He drove forward and unleashed a stunning 25‑yard strike that flew past Wickens into the net, making the score 3-1 and effectively sealing the win for the visitors. Adams’ goal was a moment of individual brilliance that highlighted the depth of Portsmouth’s squad.
In the closing stages, Segecic came close to adding a fourth goal, striking a low shot that was saved by Wickens. Despite the Imps’ efforts, they could not find an equaliser, and the match ended 3-1 in Portsmouth’s favour. 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. 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: “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 not only gave Portsmouth three points but also restored confidence after a shaky start to the campaign.
For Lincoln, the loss extended their search for a first win back in the Championship, a drought that has lasted over 60 years. Both teams will now look ahead to their next fixtures, with Portsmouth hoping to build on this performance and Lincoln seeking to tighten their defence and convert chances into goals.