West Bromwich Albion surged to the top of the Championship table with a commanding 3-0 win over Portsmouth, thanks to a brace from Alex Mowatt and an early strike by Josh Maja.
The Baggies started quickly, with Maja opening the scoring in the first minute, finishing off a cutback from Tom Fellows. Fellows nearly added to his assist moments later, side-footing just wide. Portsmouth grew into the game and enjoyed a good spell, pressing high and forcing mistakes, but they failed to capitalize on the openings they created.
Albion remained dangerous on the counter-attack, with Karlan Grant’s powerful effort tipped over by Will Norris, and Maja seeing another attempt blocked. The Baggies’ best chance to extend their lead before the break came when Maja nodded a Fellows cross towards goal, only for Norris to produce a remarkable save, clawing the ball off the line. Grant headed over, as did Portsmouth’s Connor Ogilvie, but neither side could find the net, and West Brom went into half-time with a narrow 1-0 lead.
Six minutes into the second half, West Brom doubled their advantage. After some slick play in the middle, Mowatt picked up the ball just outside the box and curled a magnificent strike into the top corner, his first goal since May.
Portsmouth pushed forward in response, with debutant Josh Murphy firing just wide of the post, but the visitors remained in control. In injury time, Mowatt secured the win with a superb free-kick, curling the ball into the top right corner to wrap up all three points for Carlos Corberan’s side.
Portsmouth manager John Mousinho felt the 3-0 scoreline was not a “fair reflection” of his side’s efforts. “The first half, bar the first minute, was the best football we have played all season,” Mousinho said.
However, he admitted West Brom’s clinical finishing made the difference. “The first half, bar the first minute, was the best football we have played all season, we just need to be a bit more clinical – West Brom were. I was a lot more pleased with our performance today than I was for the majority of the season so far, I thought we made West Brom struggle in the first half and they’re a side I expect to finish in the top two.”
Carlos Corberan echoed the sentiment that the game was competitive but praised his side’s ability to manage the match in key moments, noting, “The result doesn’t show what happened on the pitch because it was a competitive game,” Corberan told BBC Radio WM. “They were very aggressive and we conceded some big chances but we managed the game well at the end to have control of the situation. It was one of the more difficult games for me to manage.
“The message of the result, and so far this season, is how hard we need to work to win games in this league.”
Writer’s View
West Brom’s performance was a textbook example of how to control a game despite periods of pressure from the opposition. Mowatt’s two goals, especially his free-kick, were the highlights of a solid all-around display. Corberan’s team is looking like genuine promotion contenders, with a clinical edge and strong defensive discipline. In Maja, they have a real danger, and the multiple changes they made show a huge depth in the squad, which will stand them in good stead moving deeper into the season.
Portsmouth, while winless, showed flashes of promise and will feel hard done by the scoreline. Their lack of cutting-edge up front is a concern, but if they can find some attacking rhythm, they might soon start picking up points in their battle for survival.
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