Derby County won for the first time this season, beating Portsmouth 2-0 at Fratton Park on Tuesday 1 September. Sam Szmodics scored in the 15th minute and substitute Lars-Jørgen Salvesen added a second in the 61st, moments after coming on.
Portsmouth had by far the greater share of the game, with 21 shots to Derby's eight and 11 corners to two, but put only three of those efforts on target against the Rams' five. The result gave Derby their first win from four league games, after one point from the first three, and left Portsmouth having lost both of their home league matches this season.
Derby's First Attack Brings the Opener
Derby went ahead with their first meaningful attack. Bobby Clark broke down the right and pulled the ball back for Szmodics, who spun and squeezed the finish in, helped by a couple of deflections. Portsmouth manager John Mousinho said after the match that "the first attack Derby had and the only shot in the first half ends up in the back of the net."