Pompey injury blow as key player forced off in first half v Southampton

Pompey have been dealt a worrying injury blow in the first half of their south-coast derby game with Southampton at St Mary’s.

The Blues had to substitute keeper Nicolas Schmid just 24 minutes into the game along the M27, following a collision with one of his own Blues team-mates.

On 17 minutes, the Austrian rushed off his line in an attempt to deal with a Southampton ball over the top, down the home side’s right-wing.

However, in doing so, the 28-year-old collided unceremoniously with Conor Ogilvie, resulting in both requring treatment as the game was stop.

Left-back Ogilive looked to have come off the worse after a large lump quickly appearing on his forehead. Yet as he remained on the pitch, Schmid had to be withdrawn after his attempts to carry on failed.

Indeed, just seven minutes later, the former BW Linz stopper was replaced by Ben Killip as he struggled with a hand injury picked up during the incident.

Schmid’s withdrawal happened just moments after Andre Dozzell, who had a shot smack the Southampton crossbar, appeared ready to come off with a thigh injury.

Fellow midfielder Luke Le Roux looked set to come on as a replacement, but has since returned to the dugout as Dozzell continues to batle on.

Schmid featured 35 times for Pompey in the league last season after replacing Will Norris as the Blues’ No1.

He sat out the last two games of last season as the Blues ran the rule over Killip - a short-term signing from Barnsley last January.

Killip was handed a two-year deal on the back of those appearances and featured in Pompey’s 2-1 defeat at the hands of Reading in the Carabao Cup.

The Blues strengthened their goalkeeping department with the signing of Josef Bursik on deadline day.

However, they did not include Jordan Archer in the 25-man squad the submitted to the EFL last week.

For your next Pompey read: 36 cracking pictures of Portsmouth fans heading off from Fratton Park for south-coast derby v Southampton