Match Preview | Cardiff City vs. Portsmouth
The Bluebirds are back in Sky Bet Championship action on Tuesday evening, hosting Portsmouth.
The fixture will take place on October 22nd at Cardiff City Stadium, kicking off at 7:45pm.
OPPOSTITION FOCUS | IN THE DUGOUT
Portsmouth’s manager is John Mousinho, who has been in the role since January 2023.
Operating as a defender during his playing career, he represented the likes of Brentford, Wycombe Wanderers, Stevenage, Preston North End, Burton Albion and Oxford United.
Portsmouth are Mousinho’s first club in management, but he has impressed during his time with the club. With the side 15th in League One at the time of his appointment, he guided them to an eighth-place finish in the 2022/23 season.
Last season, Pompey finished five points clear at the top of the League One table, earning promotion to the second-tier, whilst losing just five league games all campaign.
Overall, Mousinho’s time in management has resulted in 42 victories in 87 matches, with a win percentage of 48.28%.
OPPOSITION FOCUS | SEASON SO FAR
It’s been a disappointing return to the second tier so far this season for Portsmouth.
The side head into Tuesday evening’s fixture with one win from their opening ten matches.
However, that win came over the weekend, as they defeated Queens Park Rangers 2-1.
Despite falling behind to Karamoko Dembele’s opener, goals from Freddie Potts and Callum Lang saw the side turn the game around and claim three points away from home.
Portsmouth have fared better on their travels so far this season, claiming five points away, while their home games have resulted in three points.
STATZONE
- There have been 61 meetings in history between Cardiff City and Portsmouth.
- Of those fixtures, City have won on 22 occasions.
- The Bluebirds’ top scorers against Portsmouth are John Toshack and Peter King, both with four goals.
- The first ever league meeting between the two sides in October 1927 resulted in a 3-1 win for City, with William Thurlaway, Hughie Ferguson and George McLachlan on the scoresheet.
- Our previous home league game against Pompey in January 2012 ended in a 3-2 victory, with Kenny Miller, Mark Hudson and Craig Conway finding the net.
CLUB CONNECTIONS
Tuesday evening could see City line-up against two former Bluebirds.
Midfielder Marlon Pack spent time in the Welsh capital between 2019 and 2022, before moving to Portsmouth.
His spell with our opponents in midweek has been successful, as he played a key role in their promotion to the Sky Bet Championship last season.
Another who is returning to CCS is Josh Murphy, who was a Bluebird between 2018 and 2022.
The winger achieved promotion with Oxford United last season, before moving to Portsmouth in the summer.