Charlton Athletic kept their flawless home record intact this season by sharing a 0-0 draw with Portsmouth at The Valley. While the Championship fixture lacked the usual flood of goals, it still offered plenty of drama, especially after the interval when both sides opened up and pushed for a breakthrough. In the first half, the Addicks were the more assertive team, creating the majority of clear-cut chances. The most notable opportunity fell to Millenic Alli, who had spent the latter part of the previous campaign on loan with Portsmouth.
In the 32nd minute, a pinpoint left‑wing cross from Tyreece Campbell found Alli at the edge of the box. He volleyed from close range, only to see the ball sail over the bar. Earlier, Portsmouth keeper Daniel Bielica had been forced to use his legs to parry a powerful strike from Charlton striker Karlan Grant that was headed towards the near post.
Portsmouth captain Marlon Pack also made his presence felt, rising to meet an early Campbell delivery and directing a crucial header out for a corner. Despite having found the net in each of their previous eleven away league games, the visitors failed to register 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 to block a low cut‑back from Terry Devlin after a slick passing move. Later, Conor Shaughnessy rescued the home side when he cleared a ball that had been headed back into a dangerous zone by loanee Tyler Bindon. Alli, who was jeered by the traveling supporters each time he touched the ball, enjoyed his final chance of the half, unleashing a 20‑yard effort that was comfortably caught by Bielica. The second half began with Portsmouth pressing forward.
Okonkwo had to dive low to his left, extending his full frame to tip away a shot from Abu Kamara just 20 seconds after the restart. Portsmouth, having enjoyed a full week of preparation, appeared fresher and more vigorous, while Charlton, fresh from a 0‑0 draw with QPR on Wednesday, started to show signs of fatigue.
Referee Andrew Kitchen dismissed a penalty appeal from Portsmouth left‑back Jayden Meghoma, who claimed he had been pulled on the arm by Alli. Charlton’s Oliver Skipp made a fine recovery tackle, sliding in to dispossess Adrian Segecic on the edge of the area after Bindon had lost possession. Segecic then wasted a chance, firing a tame shot at Okonkwo from inside the box.
Later, in the 81st minute, Colby Bishop failed to finish a close‑range sliding effort from a cross by Ryan Kavuma‑McQueen. As the clock wound down, Charlton dug deep into their bench. Conor Coventry curled a delivery from a short corner into the edge of the area, testing Portsmouth’s defence.
Shaughnessy produced a vital block from a Grant shot, and the home crowd appealed loudly for a penalty when Miles Leaburn went down after a collision with Benjamin Arthur. Post‑match, Charlton manager Nathan Jones praised his side’s performance: "The first half was especially good – we created several quality chances, looked a real threat and controlled the tempo. Compared with last season’s reverse result, our midfield and wide players were far more effective.
We had a clear‑cut opportunity with Alli three yards out; he only needed to guide it on target and it would have been a goal. Grant also had a great chance. It was an end‑to‑end game with two committed teams.
Portsmouth beat us twice last season, so a draw feels like an improvement. Overall we kept a clean sheet, built some partnerships, and are hoping to get injured players back soon.
Charlie Kelman was available today and we expect Josh Edwards next week, which will strengthen us further. After the international break we should be in a stronger position; the five defenders have been working hard since the Tottenham game, and three clean sheets show the effort is paying off." Portsmouth boss John Mousinho reflected on his side’s effort: "A 0‑0 away draw with a clean sheet is a positive takeaway. We created several good chances in the second half but couldn’t finish them, which is frustrating because we could have taken all three points. In the first half we didn’t test the keeper much, but after Charlton’s midweek game we expected a more open match, and it delivered.
There are promising signs, but we must keep improving. We scored the previous week, but not this time. The top half of the pitch is where we have quality and goals, and that will come." Both managers highlighted the importance of squad depth and injury recovery as they look ahead to the next round of fixtures. Charlton will aim to convert the numerous chances they created into goals, while Portsmouth will seek to sharpen their finishing to break the deadlock in future away trips.
The stalemate, though goalless, provided plenty of talking points for fans and pundits alike, underscoring the competitive nature of the Championship.