Portsmouth secured their inaugural victory of the Championship campaign with a convincing 3-1 triumph on the turf of Sincil Bank, ending Lincoln's long wait for a win in the second tier after more than six decades. After a disappointing start to the season, during which Pompey had dropped their first two fixtures by identical scorelines, the visitors found themselves under pressure early on. However, a swift breakthrough came in the seventh minute when Ryan Kavuma‑McQueen slotted home from the left side of the box, giving Portsmouth the early advantage and setting the tone for the remainder of the match. Just nine minutes later, Adrian Segecic doubled the lead with a powerful free‑kick from the edge of the penalty area.
His left‑foot strike curled past Lincoln goalkeeper George Wickens and into the bottom corner, leaving the home side with a two‑goal deficit. Lincoln managed to pull one back before the half‑hour mark when Reeco Hackett converted a penalty after referee adjudged that Lincoln defender Zak Swanson had handled a 20‑yard effort from Adam Reach. The penalty reduced the arrears to 2‑1 and offered the Imps a glimmer of hope.
The second half began with both teams struggling to create clear chances under the bright sun at the ProAmpac Stadium. Lincoln’s captain Tendayi Darikwa, who had been a constant presence in the early exchanges, was forced off after ten minutes of the second period with a knee injury, prompting the home side to introduce their record signing Andrei Coubis.
Despite the substitution, Lincoln could not generate sustained pressure, and Portsmouth’s defensive organization held firm. The decisive moment arrived in the 69th minute when Portsmouth substitute Ebrima Adams found himself with space in the middle of the pitch. He advanced forward and unleashed a spectacular 25‑yard strike that flew past Wickens into the net, restoring a two‑goal cushion and effectively sealing the win for the visitors. Adams’ goal was a testament to his technical ability and composure, providing the final touch to a performance that saw Portsmouth dominate large portions of the game.
In the closing stages, Segecic came close to adding a fourth goal, but his low driven shot was comfortably saved by Wickens. The final whistle confirmed a 3‑1 victory for Portsmouth, marking their first three points of the season and leaving Lincoln still searching for their first win since their return to the Championship over 60 years ago. Post‑match reactions highlighted the contrasting emotions of both camps.
Lincoln manager expressed disappointment, noting, "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, stating, "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 match also featured several notable incidents beyond the goals.
Early in the game, Lincoln earned a free‑kick just outside the box, but Portsmouth goalkeeper Nicolas Schmid tipped the effort over the bar. A corner from Ivan Varfolomeev was cleared, only for his second set‑piece delivery to be met by Darikwa, whose first‑time effort was deflected away for another corner. Later, Freddie Draper set up Ben House, whose shot lacked power and was comfortably saved by Schmid.
Throughout the encounter, both sides had opportunities to alter the scoreline. Lincoln’s Colby Bishop produced a looping header that was gathered by goalkeeper George Wickens, and later his strike was blocked, forcing a corner.
Portsmouth’s Reeco Hackett and Varfolomeev both saw attempts go wide, while Lincoln’s Adam Reach saw his 20‑yard effort ruled out for handball, leading to Hackett’s penalty conversion. Overall, the fixture underscored Portsmouth’s resilience after a shaky start to the season and highlighted Lincoln’s ongoing struggle to adapt to the demands of Championship football.
With the win, Portsmouth not only earned three crucial points but also demonstrated the attacking potential and defensive solidity needed to compete in the league, while Lincoln will need to regroup quickly as they continue their quest for a first win in the second tier after a 60‑year hiatus.