Preview: Aldershot Town vs Portsmouth - prediction, team news, lineups

Portsmouth will their play second friendly in two days when they head to the Recreation Ground for Wednesday's meeting with Aldershot Town.

The Shots finished just outside the drop zone in the 2025-26 National League, while Pompey achieved Championship survival for the second consecutive season.

Match preview

Aldershot were involved in a relegation battle last term, collecting 46 points from as many games to finish four points clear of the bottom four.

After finishing 15th or lower in seven of the eight seasons, Aldershot will be hoping to aim higher under the watch of new player-manager Scott Davies.

The 38-year-old has returned to a club where he has previously made 85 appearances as a player after spending the last four years as player-manager at Slough Town.

Davies has already overseen three friendlies this summer, including a 2-0 win against Badshot and a goalless draw against Bedford.

Aldershot recorded a third clean sheet in Saturday's 2-0 success against Fleet Town, although they will be fully aware that a much tougher test awaits on Wednesday.

Once they test themselves against Championship opposition, Aldershot will go on to face Farnborough, Oxford United, Hanwell Town and Braintree before starting the new National League season with an away clash against Boston United on August 8.

In contrast to their opponents, Pompey are yet to play a pre-season friendly after starting their preparations with a training camp in Ireland.

However, that would have changed by Wednesday's contest, with Pompey set to face Jermain Defoe's Woking in their first pre-season friendly on Tuesday.

Portsmouth are building up to a campaign that gets underway with an EFL Cup tie against West Ham United on August 8 and a Championship meeting with Queens Park Rangers on August 15.

The south coast side will be aiming to battle higher up the table after being involved in relegation battles since winning promotion from League One in 2023-24.

Pompey have already bolstered their ranks with three new additions in their bid to build a team that can improve upon 16th and 18th-placed finishes from the last two seasons.

Portsmouth recruited Odin Bailey and Eoin Kenny from Stockport County and Dundalk, respectively, before they announced Estonia international Rocco Shein as their third signing of the summer, ensuring the new recruits will have plenty of time to adjust to their new surroundings in pre-season.

Aldershot Town Club Friendlies form:

W D W

Team News

Davies may decide to share the minutes across his squad, which is largely made up of new signings following a significant recruitment drive.

The hosts could line up with a backline made up of Michee Efete, Michael Stickland, Kiki Oshilaja and Tyrese Dyce.

At the opposite end of the pitch, Tristan Abrahams could be given the opportunity to lead the line against Portsmouth.

As for the visitors, full-backs Conor Ogilvie and Zak Swanson are sidelined with knee problems.

Mousinho's team selection will be influenced by which feature in Tuesday's friendly, making it a tough lineup to predict.

The Pompey boss could be tempted to give run-outs to the club's three new additions, Bailey and Kenny.

Aldershot Town possible starting lineup:

Hayes; Efete, Stickland, Oshilaja, Dyce; Lawless, Frimpong; Sansah, Nelson, Peart; Abrahams

Portsmouth possible starting lineup:

Killip; Knight, Dia, Matthews, Williams; Shein, Le Roux; Kenny, Bailey, Anderson; Waddingham

We say: Aldershot Town 0-2 Portsmouth

Portsmouth may be lacking some of Aldershot's match sharpness, but boasting a Championship squad, we think the visitors will prove too strong for their National League hosts on Wednesday.

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