Norwich City’s Under-21s will have to wait a little longer before renewing East Anglian derby hostilities with Ipswich Town.
The two clubs, as expected, were kept apart when the final groups were drawn for round one of the 2019-20 EFL Trophy yesterday, with the competition's governing body keeping high-profile rivals apart.
The young Canaries are on Southern Group B, alongside Crawley Town, current EFL Trophy holders Portsmouth and Oxford United.
Match dates are on the weeks commencing September 2, October 7, and November 11.
Portsmouth lifted the Trophy after beating Sunderland 5-4 on penalties at Wembley in March following a 2-2 draw after extra-time.
The last time City faced Portsmouth - in January - they suffered an humiliating 1-0 home defeat in the FA Cup third round.
The draw, conducted on talkSPORT by host Jim White and guests Karl Robinson and Huw Jennings, saw 16 invited Under-21 teams placed into the Northern and Southern sections of the competition respectively.
As in 2018/19, the groups in the EFL Trophy were arranged so that EFL clubs and their fans face the minimum overall travelling time to matches.
Ipswich are in Group A alongside Gillingham, Colchester United and Tottenham's Under-21s, while Peterborough United are in Group H, with Cambridge United, Northampton Town and Arsenal's Under-21s.
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