Blackburn Rovers Storm to 3-0 Win Over Portsmouth

Blackburn Rovers secured a crucial 3-0 victory over Portsmouth at Ewood Park, propelling themselves into the Championship play-off positions. The hosts opened the scoring early in the second half when Makhtar Gueye headed in a cross after the referee waved away Portsmouth’s penalty appeals. Callum Brittain doubled Blackburn’s lead with a powerful right-footed strike from a counter-attack and Andreas Weimann sealed the win with a close-range goal in the 76th minute.

Portsmouth had a frustrating first half, failing to register a shot on target. Their best chance came from a set-piece when Colby Bishop’s header hit the crossbar. In the second half, they claimed they should have been awarded a penalty after Josh Murphy’s cross to Bishop, but the referee waved play on, much to the frustration of manager John Mousinho. Blackburn capitalized on Portsmouth’s protests and quickly extended their lead with Brittain’s stunning strike.

The win lifted Blackburn to fifth in the Championship, while Portsmouth remained in the relegation zone, slipping to second from bottom, just above Hull City on goal difference. Portsmouth still had one game in hand over the teams around them but continued to struggle with their form.

Blackburn’s victory highlighted their clinical finishing as they made the most of their chances despite Portsmouth’s protests. The Rovers’ solid second-half performance helped them maintain their push for promotion while Portsmouth needed to improve significantly if they hoped to escape the relegation zone.