Portsmouth Women powered into the next round of the English FA Women’s Cup with a commanding 4-0 win over Cheltenham Town Women on 25 October 2026. The home side controlled the tie from the early stages, scored at regular intervals and never looked in danger of surrendering their advantage.

Match overview

Portsmouth Women set the tone with a high press and quick attacking play. Cheltenham Town Women struggled to cope with the pace of the home side’s wide players and the movement of the forwards. Portsmouth opened the scoring early and doubled the lead before half-time, giving themselves a comfortable cushion.

The second half brought more of the same. Portsmouth kept possession well, created chances and added two more goals to complete a convincing victory. Cheltenham worked hard and had a few moments on the ball, but they were unable to find a way back into the tie.

Key moments

• Early opener: Portsmouth took the lead with a well-placed finish after pressing Cheltenham into a mistake.
• Second goal before the break: A wide attacking move ended with a finish from inside the area, putting the hosts firmly in control.
• Third goal after the restart: Portsmouth continued to dominate and added another goal to extinguish any Cheltenham hopes.
• Late fourth: A final goal capped off a strong team performance and sealed the clean sheet.

Tactical story

Portsmouth’s width was a constant problem for Cheltenham. The full-backs pushed high, the wingers stretched the defence and the midfielders arrived late in the box to support attacks. That combination created overloads in wide areas and opened space centrally.

Cheltenham tried to sit deeper and absorb pressure, but Portsmouth’s patience in possession and quick switches of play eventually broke them down. Out of possession, Portsmouth pressed with intensity and forced turnovers in dangerous areas.

Standout performers

Portsmouth’s winger was a standout, contributing a goal and causing problems throughout with direct running. The midfield controlled the tempo, while the centre-backs kept things simple and helped secure the clean sheet. Cheltenham’s goalkeeper made several saves and their midfield kept working, but the home side’s quality told in the end.

Cup impact

This is an emphatic cup win for Portsmouth Women, who advance with confidence and a clean sheet. A four-goal performance at home underlines their attacking depth and gives them momentum for the next round. Cheltenham Town Women exit the competition after a difficult afternoon, but they will look to respond in their league fixtures.

Full-time: Portsmouth Women 4-0 Cheltenham Town Women.