Portsmouth 1-0 Middlesbrough: Home side end Teessiders’ unbeaten start

John Mousinho’s men made the better start and came close to an opener when Conor Chaplin’s close-range effort was blocked behind for a corner kick.

Pompey did go in front shortly after though, with Yang scoring his second goal this week from Jordan Williams’ low centre.

There was little by way of a response from the visitors before the break and Chaplin drove a shot just past the post after the interval.

Boro did push on more as the game wore on but Matt Targett’s deflected effort, which flew wide, was as close as they came to a leveller.

Despite starting this weekend in top spot, Boro have now managed just 12 goals from their nine matches, one more than 20th-placed Derby County.

They will look to end their three-match winless run when they host Ipswich Town on Friday, 17 October, while Pompey are back in action the following day with a trip to promotion-chasing Leicester City.