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West Ham 3 Portsmouth 1: Neil Allen's verdict - Fresh start falls flat, yet no shame for patchwork Blues The Blues haven’t won a Carabao Cup match since beating Forest Green Rovers in August 2023 The ever-affable Joe Gallen was among those in attendance at the London Stadium, albeit on Crystal Palace business. While catching up with old faces in the press box before kick-off, reminiscing turned to season curtain-raisers from yesteryear during his Pompey days, primarily Rochdale, Luton, Shrewsbury and Stevenage. Kenny Jackett’s former assistant is now a Selhurst Park scout, having stepped away from coaching. Similarly, his ex-employers have also left their League One backdrop for a change of scenery. While West Ham represented Carabao Cup first-round opposition on Saturday, they also these days occupy the same division as the Blues in 2026-27 following Premier League relegation. Undoubtedly, Pompey have advanced a long way since Gallen departed in the summer of 2021, three months after Jackett’s dismissal post-EFL Trophy defeat to Salford. Now they’re rubbing shoulders with the Hammers in front of a 53,369 crowd, containing 9,000 of the Fratton faithful, on the first day of a football season. Comfortable 1-0 lead for Portsmouth And, for the opening 43 minutes, John Mousinho’s men were the dominant side, extremely comfortable in their 1-0 lead, with Nicolas Schmid barely called upon to contribute, aside from some kicking of questionable quality. Indeed, the visitors had gone ahead 10 minutes earlier after Rocco Shein’s left-wing corner was headed clear, only for Adrian Segecic to retrieve it and subsequently fire in a 25-yard left-footed shot which deflected off Konstantinos Mavropanos into the net. A Blues side clearly threadbare in places and frayed around the edges in others, they were never the finished article heading to the London Stadium. With six squad holes requiring repairing, this was in parts a patchwork team. Nonetheless, even with ‘development project’ Luke Brooke-Smith on the left wing and up-for-grabs Luke Le Roux occupying the engine room, the visitors were edging a game against a hugely-talented side surely destined for promotion. Just two minutes remained until half-time, a time out offering the tantalising opportunity for Mousinho’s hard-working team to have a welcome breather in the searing East London heat. What followed was a sudden landslide of goals, three in seven minutes to be precise, as the fixture was settled as early as the 50th minute - and, frustratingly, in West Ham’s favour. Calamitous spell In fairness, it’s difficult to be too harsh on Pompey, irrespective of that calamitous spell. Although ultimately outclassed, for almost half the match they had stood toe-to-toe with Nuno Espirito Santo’s deposed Premier Leaguers. Indeed, lit up by their substitutions from a bench containing three centre-halves, the visitors also had their moments in the second half, even if West Ham’s keeper was barely tested during that period. Certainly with the impending arrivals of Abu Kamara, Jesper Ceesay and Ryan Kavuma-McQueen ahead of the first Championship fixture against QPR, this is a squad which will improve in quality. As it was, though, considering playing resources were weakened by injury and in need of additions, Mousinho’s troops should find plenty of positives, irrespective of the eventual 3-1 scoreline. Certainly the debut of Shein was heartening, with the Estonian international putting in an assured display in the centre of midfield, particularly considering the context of the game. His progressive use of the ball and composure in possession shone throughout during an encouraging first competitive outing in English football after three friendly appearances. Brooke-Smith was another new face in Pompey’s starting line-up, occupying the left wing, and the 18-year-old put in a solid showing, albeit with Mousinho, on occasions, urging the New Zealander to remain high rather than dropping deep for the ball. There were also entrances off the bench for their fellow summer signings in Odin Bailey, Marko Milovanovic and Eoin Kenny in the second half, with the latter making several dangerous runs down the right. Settled in a seven-minute period Ultimately, however, the game was settled in that seven-minute period when West Ham finally discovered second gear to spring into life. On 43 minutes, Mohamadou Kante beat Regan Poole far too easily down the Blues’ right and his cross was met with a smart first-time finish from Valentin Castellanos to level. Just two minutes later, on the stroke of half-time, Jarrod Bowen, who earned the last of his 12 England caps in March, crashed in a first-time shot from outside the box which deflected off the back of Conor Shaughnessy to wrongfoot Schmid. Then, five minutes after the break, Bowen galloped down the right before delivering a wonderful cross which was headed home by the unmarked Castellanos for his second to, effectively, seal a 3-1 triumph. To think Pompey lost 1-0 at Shrewsbury on the opening day of the 2019-20 season. How times change, just ask Joe Gallen.