EFL Trophy: Portsmouth, Manchester United, Arsenal and Brighton Under-21s all win
- Published
Portsmouth have reached the EFL Trophy final twice in the last five years, winning once
League One side Portsmouth beat Fulham Under-21s 5-4 on penalties in the EFL Trophy as the group stages began.
Pompey keeper Ryan Schofield made the decisive save from the spot to deny Devan Tanton, after the game ended 3-3.
Delano McCoy-Splatt's 73rd minute equaliser for Fulham sent the match to penalties, after Terry Devlin and a Sean Raglett double put Pompey ahead.
Chris Donnell and Martial Godo also scored for Fulham, who had midfielder George Okkas sent off.
Elsewhere, Arsenal Under-21s and Manchester United Under-21s also had to rely on penalties to secure wins against League Two sides Swindon Town and Stockport County.
Swindon had been on track to take maximum points over Arsenal's young side thanks to an own goal from Reuell Walters and goal from Tariq Uwakwe in the first-half.
But Jimi Gower levelled the score in the 82nd minute after Lino Sousa's earlier effort, to send the game to penalties which Arsenal won 5-4.
Manchester United similarly won 5-3 against their local rivals, after the 90 minutes had ended with the score 1-1.
Joe Hugwill gave Manchester United the lead but Tanto Olaofe's scored a penalty for 10-man Stockport in the 13th minute of added time to send the game to spot-kicks.
Brighton and Hove Albion Under-21s opened their account in the competition with a 3-2 win over League Two side Walsall.
Two from Andrew Moran and an own goal by Liam Gordon gave the Seagulls the victory, with Oisin McEntee and Thomas Andrew Knowles replying for Walsall.