Charlton Athletic continued their flawless home run in the Championship by holding Portsmouth to a 0-0 draw at The Valley. While the match lacked the usual goalmouth fireworks, it offered plenty of drama, especially after the interval when both sides pushed forward with renewed vigor.
In the opening half, the home side looked the more assertive team, creating the majority of clear-cut opportunities. Around the 32nd minute, Millen Alli, who spent the latter part of the previous season on loan at Portsmouth, found himself in a promising position.
Tyreece Campbell delivered an ideal left‑wing cross, and Alli met it with a volley from close range, only to see the ball sail over the bar. Earlier, Portsmouth’s keeper Daniel Bielica had to scramble, using his legs to block a powerful strike from Charlton’s striker Karlan Grant that threatened the near post.
Portsmouth captain Marlon Pack also made his presence felt, rising to meet a corner generated from an early Campbell delivery, though his header failed to find the net. The visitors entered the game on the back of an impressive run of eleven consecutive away league matches in which they had scored, yet they did not produce a single shot on target before the break. Charlton’s goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo was kept busy early on.
In the 15th minute he stretched a leg out to smother a low cut‑back from Terry Devlin, showing his alertness. Later, Conor Shaughnessy rescued the Addicks when he cleared a dangerous ball off the line after loanee Tyler Bindon had headed a deep cross back into a perilous area. Alli, who was repeatedly jeered by the travelling Portsmouth supporters each time he touched the ball, enjoyed one final chance before the interval, unleashing a 20‑yard effort that was comfortably caught by Bielica.
The second half began with Portsmouth pressing forward. Okonkwo again demonstrated his reach, diving low to his left to tip away a shot from Abu Kamara just twenty seconds after the restart. Portsmouth appeared fresher after a full week’s preparation, while Charlton, having drawn 0‑0 with QPR only three days earlier, started to show signs of fatigue.
Referee Andrew Kitchen dismissed a penalty claim from Charlton left‑back Jayden Meghoma, who argued that Alli had pulled his arm. Meanwhile, Oliver Skipp made a vital sliding tackle to dispossess Adrian Segecic on the edge of the box after Bindon lost possession. Segecic’s subsequent attempt from inside the area was weak, and later, Colby Bishop failed to convert a close‑range cross from Ryan Kavuma‑McQueen in the 81st minute. As the clock ticked down, Charlton dug deeper into their bench.
Conor Coventry curled a shot from a short‑corner that drifted over the edge of the area, while Shaughnessy made a crucial block on a strike from Grant. Home supporters appealed loudly for a penalty when Miles Leaburn went down after a challenge with Benjamin Arthur, but the referee waved play on.
After the final whistle, both managers reflected on the encounter. Charlton boss Nathan Jones praised his side’s overall display, especially the first half, saying, "We created some excellent chances, looked a threat and controlled the game. When you compare it to last season’s meeting, it was a completely different story.
Our midfield duo performed superbly and our wide players added real width and danger. We had the clearest chance of the match – Alli was three yards out, he only needed to guide it on target and it would have been a goal." He continued, "Karlan Grant also had a great opportunity. It was an end‑to‑end game with two committed sides. Portsmouth beat us twice last season, so a draw today is an improvement.
Overall the performance level was there and we kept a clean sheet. We’re seeing partnerships develop, and we’re eager to get our injured players back.
Charlie Kelman featured today and we hope Josh Edwards returns next week. After the international break we’ll be in a stronger position – the five defenders have been playing continuously since the Tottenham game, and keeping three clean sheets shows their resilience." Portsmouth manager John Mousinho highlighted the positives for his side: "Leaving home with a 0‑0 result and a clean sheet is a good takeaway.
We crafted several quality chances in the second half but just couldn’t finish them. It’s a mix of emotions because we could have taken all three points. The first half was quiet, but after Charlton’s Wednesday night game we expected more open play, and that’s what we got." He added, "There are encouraging signs, but we must keep improving.
We scored in the previous game, but couldn’t replicate that here. The top third of the pitch is where we have quality and goal‑scoring ability, and that will come back to us." In summary, the match was a tactical battle that ended without a goal, yet it showcased moments of individual brilliance, defensive discipline, and the potential for both teams to build on the experience. Charlton preserved their unbeaten home record, while Portsmouth demonstrated resilience despite failing to convert any of their late‑half opportunities.
Both sides will look to fine‑tune their attacking play ahead of the next round of fixtures.