Follow live coverage as Portsmouth face Blackburn Rovers in the Championship today.
An increasingly competitive second tier in English football remains an intense and exciting competition, with the prize of a place in the Premier League on offer at the end of the season.
Relegation from the top flight last term means Luton, Burnley and Sheffield United are all back in the second tier this term and will be expected to push for play-off spots again at least, but so too will Norwich City, an improving Coventry and beaten play-off finalists Leeds United. At the other end of the table, Wayne Rooney is aiming to revive Plymouth’s fortunes after they narrowly avoided relegation last year, with Portsmouth and Derby the teams promoted from League One along with play-off final winners Oxford.
Follow live updates from today’s game in the live blog below.
Portsmouth FC 1 - 0 Blackburn Rovers FC
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
16:57Match ends, Portsmouth 1, Blackburn Rovers 0.
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
16:53Second Half ends, Portsmouth 1, Blackburn Rovers 0.
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
16:53Fourth official has announced 3 minutes of added time.
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
16:49Substitution, Portsmouth. Marlon Pack replaces Cohen Bramall.
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
16:48Foul by Todd Cantwell (Blackburn Rovers).
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
16:43Foul by Joe Rankin-Costello (Blackburn Rovers).
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
16:42Corner, Portsmouth. Conceded by Joe Rankin-Costello.
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
16:42Freddie Potts (Portsmouth) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
16:40Foul by Freddie Potts (Portsmouth).
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
16:40John Buckley (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
16:38Foul by Terry Devlin (Portsmouth).
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
16:38John Buckley (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
16:37Foul by Makhtar Gueye (Blackburn Rovers).
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
16:37Makhtar Gueye (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
16:37Corner, Blackburn Rovers. Conceded by Cohen Bramall.
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
16:36Corner, Blackburn Rovers. Conceded by Connor Ogilvie.
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
16:36Jordan Williams (Portsmouth) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
16:34Todd Cantwell (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
16:33Offside, Blackburn Rovers. Tyrhys Dolan is caught offside.
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
16:33Substitution, Blackburn Rovers. Joe Rankin-Costello replaces Hayden Carter.
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
16:33Substitution, Blackburn Rovers. John Buckley replaces Sondre Tronstad.
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
16:30Ryan Hedges (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
16:28Corner, Portsmouth. Conceded by Danny Batth.
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
16:29Attempt blocked. Terry Devlin (Portsmouth) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
16:27Substitution, Portsmouth. Jordan Williams replaces Matt Ritchie.
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
16:26Attempt missed. Hayden Carter (Blackburn Rovers) right footed shot from the right side of the box.
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
16:24Attempt missed. Makhtar Gueye (Blackburn Rovers) header from very close range is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Todd Cantwell with a cross following a corner.
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
16:24Corner, Blackburn Rovers. Conceded by Regan Poole.
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
16:21Foul by Andre Dozzell (Portsmouth).
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
16:21Substitution, Portsmouth. Terry Devlin replaces Adil Aouchiche.
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
16:18Attempt missed. Lewis Travis (Blackburn Rovers) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right following a set piece situation.
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
16:18Substitution, Blackburn Rovers. Todd Cantwell replaces Yuki Ohashi.
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
16:18Substitution, Blackburn Rovers. Makhtar Gueye replaces Cauley Woodrow.
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
16:18Foul by Matt Ritchie (Portsmouth).
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
16:18Attempt blocked. Yuki Ohashi (Blackburn Rovers) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Tyrhys Dolan with a cross.
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
16:18Hayden Carter (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
16:13Foul by Freddie Potts (Portsmouth).
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
16:10Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
16:10Delay in match (Portsmouth).
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
16:08Attempt saved. Yuki Ohashi (Blackburn Rovers) header from the centre of the box is saved.
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
16:04Second Half begins Portsmouth 1, Blackburn Rovers 0.
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
15:49First Half ends, Portsmouth 1, Blackburn Rovers 0.
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
15:48Foul by Colby Bishop (Portsmouth).
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
15:48Danny Batth (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
15:48Attempt missed. Hayden Carter (Blackburn Rovers) header from a difficult angle on the right is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Cauley Woodrow with a cross.
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
15:47Fourth official has announced 3 minutes of added time.
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
15:46Attempt missed. Ryan Hedges (Blackburn Rovers) left footed shot from the right side of the box is high and wide to the left following a corner.
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
15:44Corner, Blackburn Rovers. Conceded by Zak Swanson.
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
15:43Danny Batth (Blackburn Rovers) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
15:41Adil Aouchiche (Portsmouth) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
15:40Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
15:40Delay in match because of an injury Yuki Ohashi (Blackburn Rovers).
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
15:40Regan Poole (Portsmouth) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
15:40Foul by Regan Poole (Portsmouth).
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
15:38Zak Swanson (Portsmouth) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
15:36Foul by Freddie Potts (Portsmouth).
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
15:35Regan Poole (Portsmouth) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
15:34Attempt saved. Cauley Woodrow (Blackburn Rovers) right footed shot from more than 40 yards on the right wing is saved in the top centre of the goal.
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
15:30Matt Ritchie (Portsmouth) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
15:28Offside, Portsmouth. Matt Ritchie is caught offside.
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
15:28Colby Bishop (Portsmouth) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
15:26Matt Ritchie (Portsmouth) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
15:26Foul by Lewis Travis (Blackburn Rovers).
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
15:26Attempt saved. Josh Murphy (Portsmouth) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Cohen Bramall.
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
15:25Attempt saved. Ryan Hedges (Blackburn Rovers) left footed shot from a difficult angle on the left is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Cauley Woodrow.
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
15:21Goal! Portsmouth 1, Blackburn Rovers 0. Josh Murphy (Portsmouth) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Colby Bishop.
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
15:19Foul by Matt Ritchie (Portsmouth).
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
15:17Corner, Blackburn Rovers. Conceded by Regan Poole.
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
15:16Foul by Hayden Carter (Blackburn Rovers).
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
15:16Josh Murphy (Portsmouth) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
15:16Substitution, Blackburn Rovers. Ryan Hedges replaces Owen Beck because of an injury.
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
15:16Foul by Andre Dozzell (Portsmouth).
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
15:16Corner, Portsmouth. Conceded by Hayden Carter.
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
15:14Foul by Lewis Travis (Blackburn Rovers).
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
15:11Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
15:11Delay in match because of an injury Owen Beck (Blackburn Rovers).
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
15:07Tyrhys Dolan (Blackburn Rovers) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
15:06Foul by Tyrhys Dolan (Blackburn Rovers).
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
15:03Foul by Owen Beck (Blackburn Rovers).
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
15:01First Half begins.
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
14:30Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
Portsmouth vs Blackburn Rovers
13:00Follow live football coverage with The Independent today.
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