Southampton link will rub salt in Portsmouth wounds after Plymouth Argyle defeat | OneFootball

Michael Obafemi netted the winner as Argyle secured a 1-0 win over John Mousinho's side on Tuesday night

Plymouth Argyle got back to winning ways on Tuesday night, as Michael Obafemi’s strike sealed a 1-0 win over Portsmouth at Home Park.

While the visitors proved to be more than a match for the Devon outfit, it was the arrival of the second-half substitute that swung the game in the hosts’ favour, with his physical presence causing the Pompey backline all sorts of bother, before powering home to give his side all three points.

That win marked a first victory in five matches for Wayne Rooney’s side, while Portsmouth continue to be rooted to the bottom of the Championship table, with just one league win all season.

Having had their fair share of chances throughout the game, the late blow will be hard to take for the Hampshire side, and the fact it was a former Southampton player who grabbed the winner will make the defeat all the harder to take.

Michael Obafemi winner sinks Portsmouth as Plymouth Argyle return to winning ways

After a spirited 1-1 draw with Hull City at the weekend, Pompey will have travelled to Home Park looking to secure a second league win of the season, having tasted success for the first time this season against Queens Park Rangers last month.

After having a goal disallowed for offside in the first minute, John Mousinho’s side continued to take the game to Argyle, who were unable to deal with their opponents’ high press during the early stages.

A Matt Ritchie header was as close as either side came to breaking the deadlock in the first-half, although the former Newcastle United man could only send his diving effort into the arms of Daniel Grimshaw in the Argyle net.

Andre Dozzell and Connor Ogilvie both had efforts wide of the mark after the break, before Obafemi rampaged through the Pompey defence, with Regan Poole outmuscled and falling to the floor, before the former Southampton man was able to rifle the ball into the back of the net.

Having had the majority of the chances - albeit very few clear cut opportunities - the defeat will have been hard to take for the travelling supporters, and the fact that a former Saint had delivered the damaging blow will make the wound sting that little bit more.

After making his professional debut for the St Mary’s outfit back in 2018, Obafemi has featured for the likes of Swansea City, Burnley and Millwall of late, before making the loan move to Home Park in the summer.

The strike against Portsmouth was just his second for the club, having also netted in the 2-1 win over Blackburn Rovers last month, although the late winner will have felt all the sweeter against his old foe.

The striker played at Fratton Park once during his Southampton days, during a 4-0 win in a League Cup tie back in 2019, although he failed to get on the scoresheet himself that day.

He more than made amends on Tuesday night though, as he sent Home Park into ecstasy with his fine strike, leaving Pompey continuing to prop up the second tier table in the process.

John Mousinho fumes over Michael Obafemi winner

Having matched Argyle for the majority of the 90 minutes at Home Park, Pompey boss Mousinho was evidently devastated to leave Devon with nothing to show for their efforts.

After showing real intent to get their second win of the season, it was ultimately another defeat for the south coast side, with the nature of Obafemi’s challenge on defender Poole riling up the visiting manager after the full-time whistle.

He told the BBC: “It's probably the toughest one of the season from my standpoint because of the performance and because of what we created and how much we restricted Plymouth.

"To come away with nothing from the game is a real blow.

"We had the opportunities in the first half, we had plenty in the second half, even when Plymouth changed the way that they played, we couldn't put the ball in the back of the net and we get done by a long ball.

"I think for all the world it's a foul that's given 50 other times in the game, so I can't understand why it's not given.

"But we have to be better to make sure that those decisions or a slip, or we get caught on the ball, they don't make a difference to the game because we need to put the ball in the back of the net at the other end."

While Southampton may be facing their own relegation battle in the Premier League, they will take some heart from the fact one of their own was on hand to sink the old enemy on Tuesday night, with Obafemi’s strike likely to have been celebrated further down the coast from Home Park, as Portsmouth's woes continue.