Four games, 11 goals, two red cards, a cup final and a post-game brawl.
Sunderland vs Portsmouth has been anything but a boring fixture so far this season, and with tonight’s tie still hanging in the balance we expect no less this evening.
Prior to Saturday’s victory, Pompey had been somewhat of a bogey team for Jack Ross’ men this term, beating them 3-1 at Fratton Park and again on penalties at Wembley in the Checkatrade Trophy final, as well as taking a point from the Stadium of Light.
A cracking volley from Chris Maguire ended the winless run, and as Sunderland head to Fratton Park tonight with a 1-0 lead, we take a look at how this fixture got so feisty.
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Portsmouth 3-1 Sunderland, December 22, 2018
This fixture was the first time the two sides had faced each other since Portsmouth’s Premier League relegation nine years beforehand.
Portsmouth comfortably brushed aside 10-men Sunderland - but only after Glenn Loovens saw red for a challenge in the box. Gareth Evans converted the penalty and Ronan Curtis gave them a two-goal lead, before Luke O’Nien pulled one back.
Any comeback hopes were swiftly dashed when Ben Thompson scored Portsmouth’s third.
This win saw Portsmouth go four points clear at the top of the League One table, and eight ahead of Sunderland.
Portsmouth 2-2 Sunderland (Portsmouth win on penalties), March 21, 2019
A second heartbreak for Sunderland at Wembley in recent years, as they lost a thrilling Checkatrade Trophy final on penalties.
Sunderland took the lead through Aiden McGeady in the 38th minute and didn’t relinquish their lead until Ben Thompson got his second of the season against the Black Cats in the 82nd minute to send the game to extra time.
It looked to be all over for Sunderland in the 114th minute when Jamal Lowe lifted the ball over Jon McLaughlin, but half of Wembley erupted in the 119th when McGeady rolled home a dramatic equaliser.
The following penalty shoot-out saw only one player miss from the spot, Lee Cattermole, the last surviving member of the 2014 League Cup final side. Cattermole’s miss gave Oli Hawkins the chance to win it from the spot, which he took expertly.
Losing at Wembley, regardless of the competition’s prestige, will always leave a bitter taste in your mouth and in hindsight this is probably where the bad blood began.
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Sunderland 1-1 Portsmouth, April 27, 2019
This one is where the rivalry really picked up. Just one month on from from Pompey’s Wembley triumph, the two faced off again in a key promotion clash as both teams needed points to catch Luton and Barnsley.
A total of 41,000 fans were in attendance at the Stadium of Light and it didn’t take long for them to see the opener as Tom Flanagan headed home from McGeady’s free-kick.
However, in true Sunderland fashion for this season, they were quickly pegged back to 1-1 when Jamal Lowe equalised. Following the goal, the game was halted for five minutes after Portsmouth fans threw a flare into the North Stand where families are usually seated.
The trouble didn’t end their though, as a melee involving several players from either side broke out at full-time. The brawl started when Flanagan seemingly lost his cool when speaking with Portsmouth’s Nathan Thompson as both sets of players shook hands. The issue ensured the next encounter would be a feisty one.
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Sunderland 1-0 Portsmouth, May 11, 2019
The Black Cats finally ended their winless run over Portsmouth, which stretched all the way back to January 2008, when Chris Maguire smashed home a volley on the hour mark in this crucial play-off tie.
Both sides were disappointed to have to play in the play-offs this season, having targeted automatic promotion.
The first half was a scrappy one, and Maguire was brought on in the 58th minute to provide a bit of magic, which he duly delivered four minutes later.
It wasn’t all plain sailing from then on however, as five minutes later Alim Ozturk was sent off for a challenge on Pompey’s Gareth Evans.
The red card has since been rescinded, leaving some Sunderland fans annoyed that it rendered their side unable to push for a second goal.
This fixture saw the Stadium of Light welcome it’s lowest attendance of the season as just 26,000 attended the fixture. Portsmouth had their own allocation cut following the trouble that ensued in the league game one month prior.
