National cups are something special for many teams and supporters. Today's match will decide whether it's Walsall or Portsmouth that keep their silverware dream alive.
It's no vacation for neither Walsall nor Portsmouth as both were in action only a few days ago. Expect some tired legs on the pitch and/or possibly some changes to the lineups.
Walsall form and stats
This is not the first game this season in the EFL Trophy for Walsall, as the manager D. Clarke led his troops to eliminate Forest Green Rovers, Coventry City, Chelsea U21 and Southampton U21, and reach the 3rd Round. Walsall was eliminated in the 2nd round last season in the EFL Trophy.The home fans haven’t been spoiled with victories in the League Two this season. Walsall have only managed 3 wins, 4 draws and 6 losses from their games here. 3W-1D-0L is the hard facts regardless of venue in the EFL Trophy for Walsall.
A good away victory last time out for Walsall, who won 2-1 against Salford City. Previous to that game, a League Two home match hosting Leyton Orient in a game that was won 1-0.
Walsall are traveling soon after this match as the League Two match at Cheltenham Town awaits in four days.
Walsall have scored 10 league goals here from 13 matches, not a lot. On the other hand, Walsall have conceded 16 goals.
Portsmouth form and stats
The traveling awayteam has defeated Oxford United, Northampton Town, Crawley Town and Norwich City U21 in order to reach 3rd Round of EFL Trophy. Nothing but glory last season for Portsmouth, as they won the EFL Trophy.The hunting on away grounds haven’t been very fruitful for Portsmouth so far with only 9 points returning home. The records show 2-3-6 (win-draw-lose). The mentioned statistics is only from the league, looking at the EFL Trophy stats, they have 3 wins, 1 draw and 0 losses both home and away.
Two travels in a row for Portsmouth, whose manager K. Jackett could celebrate last time after the FA Cup win against Fleetwood Town. Preceding that game, the 1-1 draw paying a visit to Gillingham.
Portsmouth find the net in their away games, although not all the time. 12 goals from 11 away fixtures in the league. Defensive performances away have varied in quality as Portsmouth have conceded 17 goals on the road. For more goal statistics, check out the Statistics tab above.
Head 2 Head
H2H stats regardless of arena (last six matches): Walsall 2 wins, 1 draw and Portsmouth 3 victories. As for goals, 2 matches ended with three or more goals (over 2,5), 4 games had two or less.Top Goalscorers
  R. Curtis 10 goals |   J. Gordon 5 goals |  G. Evans 5 goals |
Walsall missing players
Portsmouth missing players
| Walsall | Portsmouth | ||||||
| Total | Home | Statistics | Stat | Away | Total | ||
| 25 | 15 | Played | P | 11 | 25 | ||
| 12 | 6 | Won | W | 4 | 13 | ||
| 4 | 3 | Drew | D | 3 | 7 | ||
| 9 | 6 | Lost | L | 4 | 5 | ||
| 35 | 20 | Scored | S | 16 | 40 | ||
| 30 | 17 | Conceded | C | 17 | 32 | ||
| 96% | 93% | Over 0.5 | O 0.5 | 100% | 96% | ||
| 64% | 60% | Over 1.5 | O 1.5 | 82% | 76% | ||
| 52% | 53% | Over 2.5 | O 2.5 | 73% | 64% | ||
| 24% | 20% | Over 3.5 | O 3.5 | 36% | 40% | ||
| 16% | 13% | Over 4.5 | O 4.5 | 9% | 12% | ||
| 48% | 47% | BTTS | BTTS | 73% | 64% | ||
| 36% | 33% | Clean Sheets | C S | 9% | 24% | ||
| 20% | 27% | Failed to Score | F T | 18% | 16% | ||
| 6.2 | 7.3 | Corners For (avg) | C F | 4.1 | 4.9 | ||
| 5.4 | 4.5 | Corners Against (avg) | C A | 7.1 | 5.2 | ||
| 1.3 | 1.5 | Yellow Cards (avg) | Y C | 2.1 | 1.8 | ||
| 4 | 3 | Red Cards | R C | 1 | 1 | ||
| 312 | 211 | Total Shots | T S | 155 | 379 | ||
| 124 | 85 | Shots on Target | S O | 55 | 141 | ||
| 28% | 24% | Goal Efficiency | G E | 29% | 28% | ||
| Total | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||||
| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | P |
| 1 | Swindon Town | 26 | 15 | 5 | 6 | 46 | 28 | 13 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 21 | 12 | 13 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 25 | 16 | 18 | 50 |
| 2 | Exeter City | 25 | 13 | 8 | 4 | 35 | 27 | 12 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 20 | 11 | 13 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 15 | 16 | 8 | 47 |
| 3 | Crewe Alexandra | 24 | 13 | 5 | 6 | 46 | 29 | 13 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 26 | 14 | 11 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 20 | 15 | 17 | 44 |
| 4 | Bradford City | 25 | 12 | 8 | 5 | 32 | 20 | 13 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 20 | 8 | 12 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 44 |
| 5 | Cheltenham Town | 25 | 10 | 11 | 4 | 38 | 20 | 12 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 25 | 13 | 13 | 4 | 7 | 2 | 13 | 7 | 18 | 41 |
| 6 | Plymouth Argyle | 24 | 12 | 5 | 7 | 37 | 26 | 12 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 24 | 12 | 12 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 13 | 14 | 11 | 41 |
| 7 | Forest Green Rovers | 26 | 11 | 8 | 7 | 28 | 20 | 13 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 17 | 9 | 8 | 41 |
| 8 | Colchester United | 25 | 10 | 10 | 5 | 35 | 23 | 12 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 18 | 10 | 13 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 17 | 13 | 12 | 40 |
| 9 | Northampton Town | 25 | 11 | 6 | 8 | 34 | 28 | 13 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 21 | 9 | 12 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 13 | 19 | 6 | 39 |
| 10 | Port Vale | 25 | 8 | 11 | 6 | 32 | 31 | 13 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 18 | 11 | 12 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 14 | 20 | 1 | 35 |
| 11 | Walsall | 26 | 9 | 6 | 11 | 25 | 33 | 13 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 16 | 13 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 15 | 17 | -8 | 33 |
| 12 | Salford City | 26 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 32 | 36 | 13 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 13 | 16 | 13 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 19 | 20 | -4 | 32 |
| 13 | Cambridge United | 26 | 8 | 7 | 11 | 30 | 31 | 13 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 18 | 15 | 13 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 12 | 16 | -1 | 31 |
| 14 | Scunthorpe United | 26 | 8 | 7 | 11 | 34 | 36 | 13 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 19 | 17 | 13 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 15 | 19 | -2 | 31 |
| 15 | Newport County | 23 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 21 | 21 | 13 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 14 | 11 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 10 | 0 | 30 |
| 16 | Crawley Town | 26 | 6 | 11 | 9 | 33 | 36 | 13 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 17 | 15 | 13 | 1 | 7 | 5 | 16 | 21 | -3 | 29 |
| 17 | Grimsby Town | 24 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 24 | 28 | 12 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 11 | 17 | 12 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 13 | 11 | -4 | 29 |
| 18 | Mansfield Town | 26 | 6 | 9 | 11 | 33 | 38 | 13 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 18 | 23 | 13 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 15 | 15 | -5 | 27 |
| 19 | Leyton Orient | 25 | 6 | 8 | 11 | 32 | 42 | 12 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 15 | 22 | 13 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 17 | 20 | -10 | 26 |
| 20 | Oldham Athletic | 25 | 6 | 8 | 11 | 25 | 40 | 13 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 15 | 18 | 12 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 10 | 22 | -15 | 26 |
| 21 | Carlisle United | 25 | 6 | 7 | 12 | 23 | 40 | 12 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 10 | 15 | 13 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 13 | 25 | -17 | 25 |
| 22 | Macclesfield Town | 24 | 6 | 11 | 7 | 23 | 26 | 11 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 12 | 7 | 13 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 19 | -3 | 23 |
| 23 | Stevenage | 25 | 2 | 12 | 11 | 15 | 30 | 12 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 9 | 15 | 13 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 15 | -15 | 18 |
| 24 | Morecambe | 25 | 4 | 6 | 15 | 20 | 44 | 12 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 12 | 18 | 13 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 8 | 26 | -24 | 18 |
| Total | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||||
| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | P |
| 1 | Wycombe Wanderers | 24 | 12 | 8 | 4 | 32 | 22 | 13 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 24 | 15 | 11 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 7 | 10 | 44 |
| 2 | Rotherham United | 24 | 12 | 5 | 7 | 42 | 25 | 12 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 21 | 11 | 12 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 21 | 14 | 17 | 41 |
| 3 | Coventry City | 23 | 10 | 10 | 3 | 34 | 25 | 12 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 16 | 8 | 11 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 18 | 17 | 9 | 40 |
| 4 | Oxford United | 23 | 11 | 6 | 6 | 41 | 22 | 10 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 20 | 7 | 13 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 21 | 15 | 19 | 39 |
| 5 | Ipswich Town | 23 | 10 | 8 | 5 | 33 | 22 | 10 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 13 | 9 | 13 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 20 | 13 | 11 | 38 |
| 6 | Peterborough United | 24 | 10 | 6 | 8 | 44 | 34 | 11 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 25 | 12 | 13 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 19 | 22 | 10 | 36 |
| 7 | Fleetwood Town | 22 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 37 | 29 | 12 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 18 | 9 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 19 | 20 | 8 | 36 |
| 8 | Bristol Rovers | 23 | 10 | 6 | 7 | 30 | 30 | 12 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 18 | 13 | 11 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 12 | 17 | 0 | 36 |
| 9 | Sunderland | 23 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 31 | 24 | 12 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 21 | 10 | 11 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 10 | 14 | 7 | 35 |
| 10 | Portsmouth | 23 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 34 | 28 | 12 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 22 | 11 | 11 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 12 | 17 | 6 | 35 |
| 11 | Blackpool | 24 | 8 | 10 | 6 | 32 | 28 | 12 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 18 | 15 | 12 | 2 | 8 | 2 | 14 | 13 | 4 | 34 |
| 12 | Gillingham | 24 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 28 | 24 | 13 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 21 | 13 | 11 | 1 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 11 | 4 | 33 |
| 13 | Burton Albion | 23 | 9 | 6 | 8 | 32 | 30 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 11 | 8 | 13 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 21 | 22 | 2 | 33 |
| 14 | Shrewsbury Town | 22 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 21 | 23 | 11 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 14 | 14 | 11 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 7 | 9 | -2 | 32 |
| 15 | Doncaster Rovers | 21 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 32 | 23 | 13 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 19 | 14 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 13 | 9 | 9 | 31 |
| 16 | Lincoln City | 24 | 9 | 3 | 12 | 29 | 31 | 10 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 18 | 11 | 14 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 11 | 20 | -2 | 30 |
| 17 | Accrington Stanley | 24 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 34 | 33 | 11 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 24 | 15 | 13 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 10 | 18 | 1 | 29 |
| 18 | Rochdale | 24 | 7 | 4 | 13 | 27 | 41 | 11 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 10 | 17 | 13 | 5 | 1 | 7 | 17 | 24 | -14 | 25 |
| 19 | AFC Wimbledon | 24 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 29 | 36 | 12 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 15 | 22 | -7 | 24 |
| 20 | Milton Keynes Dons | 24 | 7 | 3 | 14 | 26 | 36 | 13 | 6 | 1 | 6 | 15 | 18 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 11 | 18 | -10 | 24 |
| 21 | Tranmere Rovers | 23 | 5 | 6 | 12 | 27 | 43 | 12 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 18 | 18 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 9 | 25 | -16 | 21 |
| 22 | Southend United | 24 | 1 | 6 | 17 | 27 | 65 | 11 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 34 | 13 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 16 | 31 | -38 | 9 |
| 23 | Bolton Wanderers | 21 | 4 | 7 | 10 | 18 | 46 | 12 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 14 | 19 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 4 | 27 | -28 | 7 |