Portsmouth reveal friendly date with Championship club in behind-closed-doors encounter tomorrow

The Blues are to travel to the training ground of a Championship club who have requested their identity is not made public.

Regardless, the afternoon fixture represents the opening game of Pompey’s preparations for the 2021-22 campaign.

Danny Cowley has revealed Liam Vincent is ruled out through injury and will play no part in the friendly.

Also missing will be Ellis Harrison and Michael Jacobs, who continue to make progress having undergone operations at the back end of last season.

Cowley will prioritise appearances for his available 14 contracted players, with their numbers bolstered by triallists.

With around 10 triallists still training with the Blues, a proportion will be handed a second-half opportunity to impress.

It remains to be seen whether the full identity of Pompey’s team is named in the subsequent match report put out by either club.

However, newcomers Gavin Bazunu, Clark Robertson, Shaun Williams and Ryan Tunnicliffe are all expected to get their first Blues run outs.

The fixture kicks off a busy schedule for the Blues, with matches against the Hawks (July 10) and Crystal Palace (July 17) on the immediate horizon.

Their trip to Westleigh Park signifies the first friendly in front of supporters, while the Palace encounter is to take place behind-closed-doors at St George’s Park.

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