Portsmouth 1-0 Leeds: Colby Bishop’s aim consigns Championship leaders to their first loss since November

Within the spring sunshine, the all too acquainted chant rang round a bouncing Fratton Park because the Portsmouth followers started to sing, ‘Leeds, Leeds are falling aside once more.’

When Leeds welcomed West Brom final weekend, they’d the chance to go 10 factors away from the play-offs. By the point Daniel Farke’s facet subsequent play on Wednesday in opposition to Milwall, they could possibly be out of the automated promotion locations.

Right here on the south coast, Leeds’s grip on the Championship was loosened by John Mousinho’s spirited Portsmouth facet who had been deserved winners because of Colby Bishop’s second-half aim.

For a wasteful Leeds, this was a primary defeat within the league since November and one which ended a formidable 17-game unbeaten run. They continue to be prime of the league on aim distinction alone.

Lower than a fortnight after the ecstasy of profitable late at Bramall Lane and creating respiration house on the summit, that benefit has been worn out.

It is hardly a disaster but however this was the sort of afternoon that introduced up reminiscences of their late season capitulation final season. Leeds can’t afford that once more.

Colby Bishop (proper) scored the one aim of the sport at Fratton Park on Sunday afternoon

‘We’re disillusioned – I used to be conscious that this is able to be one in all, if not the hardest recreation in our run-in as a result of no workforce has received as many house video games in 2025,’ mentioned Farke. ‘We created so many good probabilities. If now we have day, we rating 5 or 6. If now we have a standard day, we rating two or three,’ he added.

Mousinho, like so a lot of his counterparts, referred to as Leeds the most effective workforce within the division however his facet performed with out worry at a floor that’s as soon as once more turning into a fortress.

It is now 9 wins of their final 12 at house, with Portsmouth now 10 factors away from the drop.

‘We had been very good, for the aim and the efficiency. It was all glorious,’ mentioned Mousinho.

Regardless of mendacity seventeenth within the desk, his facet matched the league leaders by way of depth from the outset however Leeds ought to have been forward by the break – first they had been denied a penalty when Dan James was introduced down by Matt Ritchie then, simply earlier than the interval, they’d the most effective likelihood of the half when the rebound from Manor Solomon’s strike fell to Joel Piroe, who did not convert.

It was a terrific double save by Nicolas Schmid however Piroe needed to rating. If that was a nasty miss, the one after the break had the Championship’s prime scorer along with his head in his arms.

From a Leeds counter, James discovered Manor Solomon, who rounded Schmid and squared to Piroe however the striker blazed over from a number of yards out with the keeper in no-man’s-land.

Leeds had been made to pay. On the hour mark, Bishop – who had coronary heart surgical procedure over the summer time – confirmed all of the composure that Piroe lacked to complete previous Illan Meslier after Connor Ogilvie’s lengthy ball in behind.

Leeds supervisor Daniel Farke (left) consoled Junior Firpo (proper) after Sunday’s shock defeat

Regardless of the consequence, Leeds stay prime of the Championship desk – however solely on aim distinction

Not for the primary time this season, Meslier did not cowl himself in glory as he hesitated to come back out.

Leeds pushed desperately for a leveller however lacked any scientific edge. First, Firpo was denied by Schmid and a minute later, his header hit the crossbar. And in damage time, Schmid pulled off the most effective save of the lot to disclaim Sam Byram and guarantee there have been no late Leeds heroics this time round as Portsmouth held on for one of many shock outcomes of the season.