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STARS ABROAD: Zak Vyner enjoys biggest win of 2026 as Harper suffers tough start to the year
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Reading Time: 3min | Fri. 02.01.26. | 15:40
While Vyner was celebrating in Bristol, it was a difficult afternoon for fellow Kenyan international Vincent Harper, whose club Walsall endured a disappointing start to the year with a 2-0 defeat to Cambridge United in England’s League Two
Harambee Stars prospect defender Zak Vyner played a full 90 minutes as Bristol City opened their 2026 campaign in emphatic fashion, recording one of the biggest wins across the English Championship and all English divisions on Thursday.
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Bristol could hardly have wished for a better start to the new year as they swept aside Portsmouth with a resounding 5-0 victory at Ashton Gate, a match in which everything seemed to fall perfectly into place for the hosts.
Vyner was deployed at the heart of a three man defence and produced a commanding performance as Bristol City set the tone early.
The deadlock was broken in the 11th minute when Adam Randell unleashed a stunning long range strike, before Anis Mehmeti doubled the advantage just two minutes later with a precise low finish that left Portsmouth reeling.
The second half brought no respite for the visitors. Scott Twine made it three nil in the 55th minute with a first time finish from a Neto Borges cross, before substitute Sinclair Armstrong piled on the misery with a fourth goal nine minutes later.
Armstrong would go on to complete the rout in stoppage time, rounding off a dominant display with a well taken second goal of the afternoon.
Vyner, who looked comfortable and assured in the back three setup, delivered a solid defensive showing.
He recorded four defensive contributions, won a tackle, made a successful interception, completed two clearances and registered four recoveries. In individual duels, he won his ground duel while narrowly losing his only aerial contest of the match.
The victory was the biggest win recorded in English football in 2026 and lifted Bristol City to eighth place in the Championship standings with 39 points, just one behind Preston North End who currently occupy the final playoff spot.
The performance left Bristol City head coach Gerhard Struber visibly delighted, with the Austrian admitting he had sensed such a result was coming after a series of encouraging displays.
“It was the perfect start to the new year. I believed we had a result like that coming because we have been playing well without always scoring the goals we should have,” Struber said.
“Today our finishing was knife sharp. We could have scored even more and we never gave Portsmouth the slightest chance to get into the game, so I am extremely happy with the performance.”
“Our pressing was well synchronised and the energy levels were outstanding. Now the challenge is to find consistency and deliver this type of performance week after week.”
“I am hopeful we can bring players in during the transfer window, but it is not only about new signings. We also have to integrate any newcomers properly and ensure they fully understand the way we want to play.”
Vincent Harper Starts the Year With Defeat
While Vyner was celebrating in Bristol, it was a difficult afternoon for fellow Kenyan international Vincent Harper, whose club Walsall endured a disappointing start to the year with a 2-0 defeat to Cambridge United in England’s League Two.
Harper was introduced late in the match, coming on in the 82nd minute as a replacement for Sierra Leone forward Daniel Kanu, but by that time Walsall were already facing an uphill task.
Cambridge had taken control through a brace from Benjamin Knight, who struck on the stroke of halftime before adding his second eight minutes after the restart to leave Walsall chasing the game.
The visitors’ frustrations deepened late on when Aaron Pressley missed a penalty in the 90th minute, sealing a second consecutive defeat for Walsall on a day when little went their way.
Despite the setback, Walsall remain firmly in the promotion picture. They sit third on the League Two table with 43 points, five behind leaders Bromley and still within the automatic promotion positions as the season continues to unfold.
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