Blues triumph 2-1 in friendly
Pompey secured a comfortable 2-1 victory over Cardiff’s development side in a friendly at their Copnor training base.
First half strikes from Conor Chaplin and Kal Naismith put the Welsh side to the sword before the visitors grabbed a late consolation.
The match also saw the first appearance of loan signing Caolan Lavery, who came off the bench just past the hour mark.
Chaplin opened the scoring midway through the first half after the Blues had started brightly without creating any clear-cut openings.
He got an instinctive touch on Naismith’s threaded pass to send the ball past Cardiff keeper Luke O’Reilly and into the far corner.
Naismith’s effort to double the hosts’ advantage just before the break came from a move that was started by Ben Tollitt.
He delivered a peach of a cross that somehow evaded everyone, but Brandon Haunstrup picked up the loose ball and teed-up Naismith for a fine volleyed finish.
Chaplin also had a goal ruled out for offside, while in the second half, shots from Brandon Joseph-Buadi and Liam Sayers drew smart saves.
Cardiff then reduced the deficit right at the death when Dylan Rees bundled home from a few yards out, despite the best efforts of Alex Bass to keep the ball out.
Pompey: Murphy (Bass 61); C.Davies (Lavery 61), Webster, Hollands, Haunstrup (Haitham 76); May, Atangana (Sayers 76); Tollitt (Joseph-Buadi 61), Boco, Naismith; Chaplin (Oxlade-Chamberlain 76)
Cardiff: O’Reilly; Baker, Watkins, Blasie, Rees; Southam, Burridge, Veale, Roache; Noor, Saadi
Subs: James, Patten, Phipps
Referee: Alex James