Portsmouth Secures Championship Promotion with Thrilling 3-2 Victory Over Barnsley
Portsmouth achieved a remarkable comeback to defeat Barnsley 3-2 and secure promotion to the Championship, with defender Conor Shaughnessy scoring a late goal that sealed their triumph.
John Mousinho’s team found themselves trailing until the 83rd minute when Colby Bishop equalized with a penalty kick. Shaughnessy then became the hero with a goal six minutes later, crowning Pompey as League One champions and marking their return to the Championship for the first time since 2012.
The match saw John McAtee of Barnsley calmly slotting the ball into the net just before the hour mark, momentarily silencing the Fratton Park crowd.
However, a late surge from Portsmouth led to an electrifying turnaround, prompting jubilant scenes as home fans flooded onto the pitch at the final whistle.
Heading into the game, Portsmouth knew that securing at least a point would grant them promotion, while claiming all three points would also secure the League One title.
Barnsley’s Devante Cole opened the scoring with a close-range poke, marking his eighteenth league goal of the season and giving the visitors an early lead in the sixth minute.
Portsmouth responded swiftly, with Kusini Yengi capitalizing on Abu Kamara’s impressive work down the right wing to level the score just three minutes later.
Yengi’s powerful strike, his eighth league goal of the season, showcased Portsmouth’s determination and set the stage for their thrilling comeback under Mousinho’s leadership.