Bristol City claimed their first EFL Championship win of the season with a 2-1 victory over Portsmouth at Ashton Gate on Saturday. Captain Jason Knight and forward Lorent Tolaj scored the goals that lifted the Robins to 11th place in the table.
Portsmouth left it late to score a consolation through a Marezi penalty in the 94th minute. The result ended a four-game winless run for City against the Blues and handed new manager Liam Skubala his first competitive win in charge.
The home side started brightly and created an early chance through Rob Dickie. Portsmouth goalkeeper Nicolas Schmid was forced into a save from Dickie's header. City's pressure told in the 30th minute. Knight won possession and started a swift counter-attack, feeding Jed Wallace who drove into the box and squared for Tolaj to finish powerfully.
Portsmouth's main threat came from youngster Ryan Kavuma-McQueen on the left flank. He caused problems for George Tanner but dragged a shot wide when trying to respond quickly to City's opener. The teams went into the break with the Robins deservedly ahead.
Jason Knight doubled City's lead in the 56th minute with a well-timed header from a corner. The Irish international lost his marker and guided the ball past Schmid. After the second goal, the match became more physical with numerous fouls from both sides. Rio Cardines received the first yellow card for a late challenge.
City manager Liam Skubala adjusted his approach, bringing on defender Cameron Pring for winger Yu Hirakawa in the 73rd minute to protect the lead. Portsmouth struggled to create clear chances, with Adrian Segecic firing a long-range free-kick well off target. The visitors managed just one shot on target throughout the entire match.
Portsmouth were awarded a penalty in stoppage time after a foul by Lisav Eissat. Serbian striker Marezi stepped up and calmly sent Sam Tickle the wrong way, slotting the ball into the bottom corner. It was too little, too late for John Mousinho's side, who fell to 16th in the Championship.
Bristol City's defensive record this season now shows they have conceded in each of their opening three league games. However, the attacking contribution from midfield, with Knight directly involved in both goals, provided the platform for this important win.
The Robins will look to build on this momentum when they travel to face Coventry City at the CBS Arena next Saturday. That fixture is part of a challenging September that also includes matches against promotion hopefuls Leeds United and Sunderland.
Jason Knight's performance, which included a goal and an assist, earned him the player of the match award. His contract with Bristol City runs until the summer of 2027.
