Goals from defender Conor Shaughnessy and Marezi earned Portsmouth their first home win of the season as they beat Cardiff 2-0. The result carried an immediate deadline-day dimension because the hosts handed debuts to new signings Tyrese Shade and Jayden Meghoma, with Shade contributing directly to the first of Portsmouth’s two goals.
Shade’s long throw supplied the decisive delivery for Shaughnessy, who sent a looping header into the net. Marezi then made amends for his first-half misses by doubling Pompey’s lead seven minutes after the restart, with Adrian Segecic picking out the striker with a pin-point cross.
Shade contributes on his Portsmouth debut
Portsmouth handed debuts to transfer deadline-day signings Shade and Meghoma, and Shade’s involvement quickly became central to the scoreline. Shaughnessy sent a looping header into the net from the new arrival’s long throw, giving the transfer-focused story of the afternoon a direct connection to the result.
The sequence was simple but significant. Shade provided the long throw and Shaughnessy supplied the looping header. For a player making his debut after arriving on deadline day, involvement in the goal offered an immediate example of how his delivery could contribute without requiring him to score.
Meghoma’s attacking involvement came through a different passage of play. Marezi thought he had scored his second and Portsmouth’s third when he nodded in Meghoma’s cross, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside. The decision meant that moment did not change the final score, but Meghoma had still provided the delivery for a notable attacking sequence on his debut.
The distinction between the two debutants is important to the Portsmouth vs Cardiff result. Shade’s long throw led to a goal that counted, while Marezi’s header from Meghoma’s cross was ruled out. Both newcomers featured in attacking moments, although only Shade’s contribution formed part of the 2-0 scoreline.
Marezi answers first-half misses
Marezi’s goal supplied Portsmouth with their two-goal advantage. The Serbian had missed opportunities during the first half, but he made amends seven minutes after the restart. Segecic picked him out with a pin-point cross, and Marezi doubled Pompey’s lead.
That second goal complemented the route Portsmouth had used for the first. Shaughnessy’s looping header came from Shade’s long throw, while Marezi’s goal followed Segecic’s cross. The two deliveries produced the goals that secured the 2-0 victory and Portsmouth’s first home win of the season.
Marezi subsequently thought he had another. He nodded in Meghoma’s cross and believed he had scored his second and Portsmouth’s third, but the goal was ruled out for offside. Pompey also almost added a third when Abu Kamara was denied by the crossbar.
Cardiff rue unconverted chances
The Cardiff manager said: “We had enough chances to score but were not clinical enough.” His words provided a concise account of why those opportunities did not alter a match Portsmouth won through goals from Shaughnessy and Marezi.
In the source’s post-match framing, the second-from-bottom Bluebirds were still waiting for their first Championship win since the previous season’s promotion from League One. That context is time-sensitive, but it underlined the immediate significance of the defeat for Cardiff City.
The contrast in the result was direct. Portsmouth had Shaughnessy and Marezi on the scoresheet, while Barry-Murphy said Cardiff had enough chances to score but were not clinical enough. Pompey nearly increased the margin through Kamara’s effort against the crossbar, after Marezi’s apparent second goal had already been ruled out for offside.
Mousinho delighted with first home win
John Mousinho’s reaction was brief and positive: “I’m delighted with the result.” Portsmouth had beaten Cardiff 2-0 for their first home win of the season, and their two deadline-day signings had both been involved in noteworthy attacking passages during their debuts.
Shade’s contribution was the one that affected the score. His long throw was headed into the net by Shaughnessy. Meghoma’s cross also reached Marezi for a header, although that effort was ruled out for offside. The distinction keeps the transfer impact in proportion while showing how both debutants entered the match report.
The afternoon also included recognition of Alan Knight’s service to Portsmouth. Knight played 801 games for Pompey and also served the club as coach and ambassador. Against that backdrop, Shaughnessy and Marezi delivered the goals in a 2-0 win, with Shade making the most immediate scoring contribution of Portsmouth’s deadline-day arrivals.
The final Portsmouth vs Cardiff result therefore rested on two supported moments: Shaughnessy’s looping header from Shade’s long throw and Marezi’s goal after Segecic’s pin-point cross. For Portsmouth, those goals produced a first home victory of the season. For Cardiff, Barry-Murphy’s verdict was that his side had enough chances but lacked the required clinical edge.