When Leeds welcomed West Brom last Saturday, they had the opportunity to remain ten points of the play-offs. By the time Daniel Farke's team the next play in Elnd Road, on Wednesday night against Millwall, they may be out of automatic promotion places, depending on how Sheffield United and Burnley go on Tuesday night.
Here on the southern coast, Leeds's control over the championship was loosened by the energetic Portsmouth team by John Mousinho, who were deserved winners thanks to the goal of the second half of Colby Bishop.
For Leeds, this was a first defeat in the league since November and a brutal that ended an undefeated race of 17 games. They are still the best in the league only with the goal difference.
Less than fifteen days after the joy of winning late in Bramall Lane and creating breathing space between the summit and the rest, that advantage has been eliminated.
It is not yet a crisis and is still in its own hands, but this was the type of exhibition that brought memories of its capital last season. Leeds simply can't afford that again.
“Each game is complicated, so there is no reason for complacency,” Farke Pre-Match warned. But his side was not close to his best moment. Mousinho, like many of his counterparts in the division, called Leeds the best division team, but Portsmouth played without fear in a field that is once again becoming a strength.
Leeds tested defeat in the league for the first time since November losing 1-0 in Portsmouth
Colby Bishop (right) scored the only goal of the game at Fratton Park on Sunday afternoon
Now there are nine victories in 12 in Fratton Park, with this victory, placing them ten of the places of descent in their first season in the championship.
Farke made a change from the draw against West Brom last weekend with Ilia Gruev arriving at Joe Rothwell in the center of the countryside, while Mousinho also made one of Portsmouth's defeat in Luton. In Freddie Potts for the loan of Newcastle Isaac Hayden.
It was Potts who had the first real opportunity when Portsmouth flew out of the blocks, with his deviant curly effort.
Despite lying on the table, the local team coincided with the league leaders in terms of intensity, but Leeds should really have been ahead of the break, they first refused what seemed a penalty when Dan James was shot down by Matt Ritchie in the painting, but referee Robert Jones chose to aim to point out the place. If there were var in the championship, the result would surely have been different.
Five minutes before the interval, Leeds had the best opportunity in half, but Joel Piroe could not take it. Nicolas Schmid kept out Manor Solomon's strike and, from the rebound, Piroe hit his shot directly to the Austrian goalkeeper.
It was an excellent double rescue, but Piroe simply had to score.
And if that was a bad lady, the one that shortly after the break had the top scorer of the championship with her head in her hands.
From a reader of Leeds, James found Manor Solomon in Acres de Espacio, who rounded Schmid and Square Piroe, but Leeds striker opened a few meters with the goalkeeper in the land of No-Man. It was Mousinho who turned to his bank first and, to be fair, his team was the best team after change.
Leeds manager Daniel Farke (left) consoled Junior Firpo (right) after the surprise of Sunday's defeat
Despite the result, the Leeds are still the best part of the championship table, but only by goals difference
In the time of the hour, Colby Bishop somehow shot from a few meters, but a minute later, he did not make any mistake, showing all the composure in the world to put the ball beyond Illan Meslier after the long ball of Connor Ogilvie. Not for the first time this season, Meslier was barely covered with glory, since he chose to leave but did not commit.
Leeds desperately pressed for a leveling level, with Farke making three changes in the 68th minute and his last two in the 79th minute, but this was the afternoon type in which they were made to pay for their waste. First, Schmid denied Firpo after doing all hard work and only had to beat the goalkeeper. A minute later, his header hit the crossbar and from the resulting rebound, James headed up.
At the other extreme, Josh Murphy almost put the icing on the cake with a charming turn before letting Rip a curly effort that had more bad blows but hit the post.
However, it is not that it imported, since Portsmouth endured one of the crash results of the season in a Fratton park, but not before Schmid achieved a Belter of a salvation to deny Sam Byram in the time of injury.