Substitute Jesuran Rak-Sakyi grabbed the winner for Sheffield United as they moved up to second in the Championship with a 2-1 victory over Portsmouth.
Gustavo Hamer struck first for the Blades before Connor Ogilvie’s quickfire equaliser, with Crystal Palace loanee Rak-Sakyi condemning Pompey to a seventh consecutive away league defeat.
John Mousinho’s side came into the game three points clear of the relegation zone but made a bright start against the promotion chasers. Callum Lang’s low free-kick was blocked by the wall, before goalkeeper Michael Cooper had to spring off his line to deny Colby Bishop.
The game was brought to a halt in the 15th minute as the whole of Bramall Lane came together to observe a minute’s applause in tribute to young Blades fan Harvey Willgoose, who tragically lost his life in Sheffield this week.
Portsmouth should have taken the lead when Bishop flicked Josh Murphy’s cross towards the back post and the unmarked Lang volleyed over from close range.
But it was the Blades who went ahead in the 24th minute as Hamer marked his return from a two-match suspension to score his seventh goal of the season. He was afforded space on the left side of the box and cut inside to curl his effort into the far corner.
Portsmouth equalised within three minutes as left-back Ogilvie stretched to meet Murphy’s driven cross, beating Cooper at his near post as Pompey finally made their early pressure pay.
Murphy was a whisker away from putting the visitors in front, driving infield and bending a shot against the crossbar from 25 yards.
Another chance went begging with three first-half minutes remaining as Ogilvie fired over the crossbar with an open net to aim for from another dangerous Murphy delivery.
Harry Clarke came close for the Blades on the stroke of half-time, with Nicolas Schmid saving smartly down to his left to keep out the Ipswich loanee’s header.
Portsmouth piled on the pressure at the start of the second half, with another long-range Murphy effort tipped over by Cooper.
United did come close when Clarke was allowed to go for goal inside the box, but his left-footed strike comfortably missed the target. Hamer then whipped in a cross that just evaded the head of Tom Cannon.
Another well-worked attack saw Bishop lift a shot over the crossbar, before Sheffield United restored their lead in the 73rd minute. Substitutes Rhian Brewster and Rak-Sakyi combined, with the latter timing his run to meet Brewster’s low cross and find the net.
Rak-Sakyi was played through one-on-one with Schmid in stoppage time and hit the crossbar as the Blades held on to win and move within two points of leaders Leeds.
