John Mousinho hails Kusini Yengi after Portsmouth go six points clear of Bolton

Posted Tuesday, December 12, 2023 by PA

Portsmouth boss John Mousinho saluted Australian striker Kusini Yengi after he helped fire the south coast side to a six-point lead at the top of the League One table as they beat second-placed Bolton 2-0.

Conor Shaughnessy was also on target as Pompey recorded a statement victory at Fratton Park.

Mousinho said: “It was a great result. We were a constant threat going forward.

“I can’t remember our goalkeeper having to deal with anything in the second half. I thought we were comfortable and pushed well.

“We had opportunity after opportunity and were perhaps a bit sloppy in the final third, but when we did get it right, we scored.

“Kusini’s performance against (Ricardo) Santos, who is one of the best centre-halves in the league, was terrific.

“We wanted him to lead the line, and he handled it superbly. He was pressing Santos and the goalkeeper, and we did at the back end of the game wonder if we needed to freshen things up a bit.

“But he showed how fit he is. It was his second league start, and his first here. It was a battle that I thought the referee handled pretty well.

“We’ll savour the moment, then turn the focus to the next game.”

In a fiercely-contested first half, Bolton should have taken the lead after 28 minutes. A powerful header by Jon Dadi Bodvarsson was brilliantly pushed away by Will Norris, and from six yards out and with an open goal, Dion Charles somehow fired the rebound wide.

Pompey then had the ball cleared off the line as Yengi’s shot was partly blocked by goalkeeper Nathan Baxter and Gethin Jones hooked it away.

Right on half-time a corner kick by Jack Sparkes was met by Shaughnessy to glance his header into the net.

Pompey controlled the second half and deserved their second goal a minute from time as Yengi hammered home from six yards from a Gavin Whyte cross.

Bolton boss Ian Evatt said: “I think that in the first half we managed to wrestle control of the game but misses like the one from Dion seemed to affect the flow of our game.

“It’s always frustrating when conceding right on half-time. I thought there was a clear foul leading up to the corner and I can’t understand why it’s not given.

“The second half, they put us on our toes and we couldn’t deal with it. We lost faith and belief, we rocked and wobbled, and it was very disappointing. That’s not what we are about. We are so much better than that.

“They made it very difficult for us and basically dominated on everything. I don’t think they outplayed us, but they outfought us. We’ve let ourselves down but the players have always responded when they have to. We’ve lost the game playing their way, not ours.”