POST-MATCH THREAD: Charlton Athletic v Portsmouth: Saturday 12th September 2026: KO 15:00

Charlton looked to avenge last season’s poor results to this afternoon’s south coast visitors, Portsmouth. Millenic Alli makes a return to the starting eleven to face his former club (who they bizarrely mocked throughout), with Ivan Mesik coming in on the right for Amari’i Bell and Danny McNamara returning on the left, after suspension. Charlie Kelman returns from injury to take a place on the bench, with Micah Mbick missing out with a hamstring issue picked up in training. Miles Leaburn, who came off with a knock in the previous fixture, is fit to make the start, with Oliver Skipp and Conor Coventry having returned to their positions in the centre of midfield.

Charlton started well and continued to threaten throughout the first half. With Alli on the right and Campbell on the left, there was balance in attack, allowing Karlan Grant to provide a threat in behind the ever-industrious Miles Leaburn. Out of possession, Charlton contained Portsmouth well, limiting them to playing the ball around in largely non-threatening areas. They had some half-chances but nothing particularly threatening.

Charlton’s first shot came within the opening five minutes, but it was on about thirty minutes when a spell of very good chances should have put them in the lead. Karlan Grant forced a very good save when he drilled in a shot from about eight yards, coming in at the far post and getting on the end a Millenic Alli ball into the box. Just a minute or so later, Alli almost scored himself when Tyreece Campbell worked some space on the left and put in a cross to the back post. Alli attempted to cushion it into goal, but instead of knocking it down, he popped it over the bar. A minute into added time, Miles Leaburn out fought his marker to release Alli through the centre. Alli’s shot from just outside the box was comfortably saved and both sides went in even. Charlton will feel they should’ve been in front, having had all the real opportunities.

From the restart, Portsmouth started quickly, firing a shot in within their seconds. Arthur Okonkwo was alert to the danger and dddi very well to get down to his left and get his big left hand on it, then smother it before it went out. In the early period, Charlton had their own half-chances, with Grant and Skipp trying to engineer something in the box, after separate goalmouth scrambles.

By sixty minutes, Portsmouth began to dominate possession and dictate play. Charlton were noticeably fatigued. Leaburn had given so much and was clearly blowing, with Karlan Grant noticeably behind the pace. Tyreece Campbell and Millenic Alli had largely drifted out of influence. Defending deep, Charlton found it hard to maintain any kind of possession.

Yet it was Portsmouth that made the first changes. When Nathan Jones finally made his first attempt to influence things it was Charlie Kelman that replaced Alli. Kelman took up a position wide on the right, sometimes tucking in alongside Leaburn when we were on the front foot with Grant falling back out wide. Charlton then worked their way back into applying pressure. Karlan Grant found his second wind and Tyreece Campbell once again threatened with nearly every touch. The final ten minutes and three additional (which didn’t seem nearly enough) were mostly Charlton probing into the box. No breakthrough would be found and the match finished honours even.

Miles Leaburn worked tirelessly up front with little reward. The referees fail to protect him and a good penalty shout late in the second half could have been his just desserts for his tremendous workrate. Conor Coventry was excellent at both ends and Oliver Skipp put in a solid performance. A point’s a point. When it’s all said and done, though, there wasn’t enough for all three points and questions about our abilities to score goals remain.

Charlton 0 Portsmouth 0
Over to you.