Football League World
·28 novembre 2024
Football League World
·28 novembre 2024
The Saints took the opportunity to poke fun at their arch-rivals following a power failure at Fratton Park.
Premier League side Southampton took a playful swipe at Portsmouth on social media after the latter's Championship clash against Millwall was postponed.
Wednesday evening's game between Pompey and the Lions looked set to go ahead as normal, with the weather conditions not putting the game in doubt and fans already inside the ground.
However, shortly before kick-off, the power went out at Fratton Park, and fans were forced to use their phone lights to keep the place lit up.
Lights did start slowly coming on section by section, but some other lights remained off, and the decision was taken for the game to be postponed for safety reasons.
This decision also allowed the away fans, many of whom had come from London, to make the commute back home from the south coast.
This is a frustrating outcome for both teams, considering they will need to pack this game into what is a busy schedule for both teams, and it remains to be seen when this match is played.
Pompey, who also saw their game at Blackburn Rovers postponed on Saturday, could have used this game to strengthen their survival hopes, having made a fairly poor start to the 2024/25 campaign. With the home advantage, they would have fancied their chances of competing for all three points.
The Lions, meanwhile, are on a bit of a roll at the moment, and a win at Fratton Park would have given them even more confidence ahead of their away tie at Oxford United on Saturday.
They will now be looking ahead to their clash at the Kassam Stadium, full of hope that they can win all three points after seeing Middlesbrough secure an emphatic 6-2 victory away at the U's last weekend.
It's just frustrating for Wednesday evening's visitors that they made the trip to the south coast for nothing in the end - and this frustration will remain despite the fact they could have had a long-distance away match postponed.
As rival clubs often do, the Saints couldn't help but poke fun at their rivals following their power failure.
Taking to X shortly after the game at Fratton Park was postponed, the top-tier outfit posted: "Football under the lights 💡"
Pompey won League One comfortably last season and that gave them a potential opportunity to face the Saints this term.
And even when the Saints secured a place in the play-off final at the end of last season, there was a real chance that the south-coast rivals would play each other during the 2024/25 campaign.
Leeds United were probably the favourites coming into the Wembley clash, considering they had the likes of Crysencio Summerville and Georginio Rutter at their disposal.
But they crumbled in the English capital and Russell Martin's side took full advantage of that.
That prevented a south-coast derby from taking place in the league this season. Many football fans will be hoping they draw each other in the FA Cup.
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