After lying quiet for almost exactly three months, Fratton Park is almost ready to host Pompey once more. John Mousinho's men welcome Dutch top-flight outfit PEC Zwolle to the south coast on Saturday for the summer's final pre-season friendly (3pm kick-off). The game provides the chance to have one final dress rehearsal before the Championship curtain opens at Oxford the following weekend. It is also a last chance to prepare for the visitors, who begin their latest Eredivisie campaign by hosting Twente a day after the Blues are in action at the Kassam Stadium. PEC Zwolle finished 10th in the Eredivisie last season and just missed out on qualifying for the European play-offs. Their most notable achievement arguably arrived in 2014, when the side thrashed Ajax 5-1 to lift the KNVB Cup for the first time. They then defeated the same cliub again a few months later to win the Johan Cruyff Shield – the Dutch equivalent of the Community Shield. Pompey's only competitive meeting with Dutch opposition came in December 2008, when Peter Crouch's brace and a Hermann Hreiðarsson header secured a 3-0 home win over Heerenveen in a UEFA Cup group stage dead rubber. TEAM NEWS Pompey have been waiting on international clearance for new signings Márk Kosznovszky, Luke le Roux and Florian Biachini. The only current injury absentee is winger Harvey Blair (hamstring), who is set for spell on the sidelines. VIEW FROM THE DRESSING ROOM Read the thoughts of John Mousinho ahead of the game. TICKETS Tickets are on sale in the Fratton End and North Lower. Please note that prices increase if they are purchased on the day of the game. Supporters will need a match ticket to attend this game, with season tickets not valid. Click here to read our matchday guide and find out what is happening around the ground ahead of the game. OFFICIALS Referee: Tom Kirk Assistants: Richard Woodward and Conor Brown Fourth Official: Aaron Farmer Kirk last took charge of Pompey when they won 5-3 at Norwich on Good Friday to move to the brink of securing Championship survival, booking three Blues players and one from the home side. MATCH COVERAGE Supporters not coming to Fratton Park can watch all the action by purchasing a match pass on Pompey+. Footage will be provided by a single camera and there will be commentary. George Wedlake will be joined by Andy Awford and Mark Kelly in the Fratton Park studio for the pre-match show. Fans can get involved by sending messages and voicenotes to our Pompey+ WhatsApp channel* on +44 7457 413694 or via this link. Click here for more details about using Pompey+, including the answers to some frequently asked questions. *Please note that the WhatsApp service is only for sending messages to appear on the matchday show. The club will not be able to reply to any messages.
Pompey have named a strong starting line up, but no sign of Colby Bishop! Named on the bench, are all three recent signings, for whom we have secured international clearance and work permits.
PORTSMOUTH FC MATCH REPORT:- Thomas Waddingham scored as Pompey completed their preparations for the new Championship campaign by beating Dutch top-flight outfit PEC Zwolle at Fratton Park. The first half was a dull affair, but the hosts took control after the break and created a number of openings. They finally made one count right at the end, when Waddingham got on the end of a Florian Bianchini cross. John Mousinho handed first Fratton starts to Adrian Segečić and John Swift following their summer arrivals. Fellow new signings Márk Kosznovszky, Luke Le Roux and Bianchini were all named among the substitutes. There was an early opportunity for the home side when Josh Murphy – wearing the captain’s armband – skipped past a challenge and sent in a low delivery. But the ball flashed past Waddingham in the box and could only find the offside Callum Lang at the back stick. It was not a sign of things to come for the rest of the first half, however, which was a largely soporific affair. Neither side was able to find any real attacking fluency under the south coast sunshine, with little in the way of goalmouth action. PEC Zwolle’s first decent opening came on 32 minutes after possession had been gifted and Jamiro Monteiro Alvarenga fired over. There was a brief rise in excitement as the interval neared, with an excellent Murphy cross turned over from a few yards out by a stretching Lang. Nicolas Schmid was then called into action for the first time to deny Koen Kostons – not realising that a flag had been raised for offside. Half Time: Pompey 0 PEC Zwolle 0 The Blues looked to make a fast start to the second period and Murphy’s delivery towards Lang was well cleared by substitute Damian van der Haar. Murphy was looking particularly threatening and causing plenty of problems for the PEC Zwolle back-line as he continuously tried to break into the box. There was also a series of corners won by the home side, although nobody was quite able to connect with them to trouble Tom de Graaff between the sticks. The keeper did have to backpedal on 55 minutes, though, to make sure he was not beaten by a deep Murphy cross that drifted towards goal. And he did well a few moments later to get down low to his left and deal with a fierce angled strike from Lang. Murphy got away down the left again just past the hour mark, cutting in and trying to find Waddingham at the near post, only for the ball to be cleared behind. It was much better from the Blues, who were attacking with real intensity as they searched for the breakthrough. Segečić had started to liven up and went close to a goal on 66 minutes, surging forward and hitting a rocket that de Graaff parried over the bar. The resulting corner was swung into the box by Swift, but Regan Poole could not force a header over the line. Mousinho made changes to freshen things up, including introductions to the Fratton faithful for Bianchini, Kosznovszky and Le Roux. Pompey kept pushing and Waddingham sent a free-kick into the wall before Bianchini fired a shot wide of the post. And the winning goal finally arrived on 89 minutes, as Bianchini collected Connor Ogilvie’s pass down the left and swung in a cross that was neatly turned home by WADDINGHAM. It nicely capped off a positive performance for Mousinho’s men to take into next weekend’s Championship opener at Oxford. Pompey (4-2-3-1): Nico Schmid; Jordan Williams (Zak Swanson 70), Regan Poole, Conor Shaughnessy (Hayden Matthews 90), Connor Ogilvie; John Swift (Marlon Pack 70), Andre Dozzell (Luke Le Roux 88); Callum Lang (Florian Bianchini 70), Adrian Segečić, Josh Murphy (c) (Mark Kosznovszky 77); Thomas Waddingham Goals: Waddingham 89 Subs not used: Killip, Bowat, Ferguson, Farrell, Devlin, Clout PEC Zwolle (4-1-4-1): de Graaff; Aertssen (van der Haar 46), Graves Jensen, Mac Nulty, Floranus (Reijnders 46); Thomas (c) (Fichtinger 64); Mbayo (Lagsir 64), Oosting (Reiziger 81), Monteiro Alvarenga (Pereira da Game 85), de Rooij; Kostons (Buitink 64) Booked: Oosting, Graves Jensen Subs not used: Dobben, Verdui, Rahajäan, Manu Referee: Tom Kirk Attendance: 8,237 (226 away fans)
Striker Colby Bishop has apparently picked up a slight muscular injury, John Mousinho has said they will see how it progresses but he is a doubt for next week against Oxford United
