Mousinho ´gutted´ as Portsmouth denied by late Leeds leveller

John Mousinho was “gutted” his Portsmouth side were unable to see out the final stages as they played out a thrilling 3-3 draw with Leeds United in their first game back in the Championship.

Pompey, back in the second tier after a 12-year exile, took a 92nd-minute lead in Saturday’s contest at Elland Road through a Callum Lang penalty, only for Brenden Aaronson to strike two minutes later.

The newly promoted side had earlier recovered from a Pascal Struijk penalty to take a 2-1 lead into half-time through goals from Elias Sorensen and Lang, before Willy Gnonto levelled early in the second half.

A point away at one of the promotion favourites can still be considered a hugely encouraging result, but the dramatic conclusion to the contest left Mousinho with bittersweet emotions.

“It’s very difficult to sum up,” he said in his post-match press conference. “It’s a brilliant point, particularly where we were this time last week after a really poor week of football.

“The lads gave everything and Leeds know they’ve been in a game. But we are gutted not to win the game. On balance, it was a really good point.

“They’re an outstanding side and have got some outstanding individuals. To feel we could have won here is an amazing feeling.”

Leeds controlled much of the match yet twice trailed after a bright start in which they struck the frame of the goal three times in 10 minutes before Struijk’s opener.

Farke’s decision to take off goalscorer Gnonto and lively winger Daniel James with the scoreline at 2-2 raised eyebrows, and the German accepts his side lost their flow after that point.

“Our game was not great after the changes,” he said. “Every player wanted to show their worth and were maybe over-motivated in the final 25 minutes. There were mistakes across the whole squad.”

Portsmouth, who scored three goals from their five shots, are the first side to lead in the 90th minute or later in a Championship match and not win since Nottingham Forest against Hull City in May 2022.

Incredibly, Aaronson had an opportunity to win the match with one of the final kicks of the game, but he slotted wide when through on goal.

Mousinho admits his side were fortunate not to throw away their point, but felt the referee should have pulled play back before Aaronson got the shot away.

“I’d lost my head with the ref at that point,” he said. “I thought it was a foul in front of the Portsmouth fans. Our player was dragged down with both hands.

“I thought the ball was going to nestle in the back of the net. I was really relieved. Having said that, if we had lost it wouldn’t have changed the performance. I was grateful it went wide. We got away with one there.”