Attractive football gets Whittingham's approval
It was the last chance for Pompey to perform on the pitch ahead of next Saturday’s League Two opener.
And Spanish top-flight side Rayo Vallecano certainly provided a stern test.
The visitors unsurprisingly came out on top, with Saballs and Adrian scoring in a 2-0 victory.
But Pompey also impressed – especially in the first half – against what is likely to be the most technically-gifted side they will play all season.
Blues boss Guy Whittingham said: “I was very pleased – we showed that we can play decent football against a top-class side.
“We knew Rayo were a team who would come here and pass the ball around a lot, but I thought we organised ourselves pretty well.
“Patrick Agyemang’s performance was pleasing, although sometimes I think we rely on him too much and we have to learn to do other things.
“Ricky Holmes, Tom Craddock and Danny East all missed the game, but they’re okay.
“They all had little knocks and there’s no point risking them in a friendly when there’s such a big game next week.
“We’ve taken the same precaution throughout pre-season, to give us the best chance of going into the first game with a full-strength squad.”
Now the rehearsals are over and attention turns to Oxford’s visit to Fratton Park.
Whittingham said: “The ticket sales and commercial activity has been fantastic, but it’s so important that we get the season off to a good start.”