LONDON (Interstat) — Portsmouth opened its English Championship season with a convincing 3-1 victory over Charlton Athletic on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026.

Portsmouth controlled the match from the start at The Valley, capitalizing on early discipline issues from the hosts. Charlton defender Lloyd Jones received two yellow cards in the fourth minute, resulting in an immediate red card and forcing his side to play a man down for nearly the entire contest.

The numerical advantage proved decisive as Portsmouth efficiently built a lead it would not relinquish. The visitors’ attack consistently pressured the shorthanded Charlton defense, netting three goals to secure the three points. The lone reply from Charlton Athletic was insufficient against the relentless Portsmouth side.

The result defied a pregame projection from Interstat, which had forecast a 1-1 draw and gave Portsmouth just a 54.3 percent probability to win.