Source: Telegraph
Portsmouth 0 Fulham 1: match report
It was a wonder the sun had bothered to come up over Fratton Park such were the grim predictions of doom and gloom for the Portsmouth.
In the event the campaign began all too expectantly - with a defeat and the kind of goal that suggests the fates have taken offence against the soutn coast club.
Related Articles
*
Premier League transfers
*
Sport on television
*
Portsmouth hope Kanu will sign on
*
Tevez atones for early error
*
Portsmouth flight scare
*
Fulham put seal on great escape at Portsmouth
Fulham are never the greatest travellers but this was a reasonably comfortable first three points with which to signal their intent to improve on last season’s 7th-place finish.
With no Peter Crouch or Jermain Defoe Pompey are going to struggle to take chances. And with no Glen Johnson or Sol Campbell at the back their defence is going to be severely tested every week.
They are just four of the names sacrificed to the need to reduce the club’s crippling debt burden. Meanwhile there is no direction forthcoming from the boardroom while the proposed takeover of Sulaiman Al Fahim hangs in the balance.
Delayed in traffic (can the man not do anything on time?), the Dubai businessman – listed in the match programme as chairman and director but warranting no other mention – had just taken his seat when Pompey’s hopes took another blow.
The 13th minute indeed proved unlucky as an innocuous attempt by Clint Dempsey struck Bobby Zamora on the back and curled in a gentle arc inside David James’ left hand post
Before they could steady themselves the home side might have conceded another two in quick succession, firstly when Zamora was left alone to meet Danny Murphy’s free-kick. He enabled James to make the save while Andrew Johnson shot tamely over soon after.
Fortunate only to have the one goal to retrieve, Portsmouth began to produce more forceful football and engineered some worrying moments for the Fulham centre-backs. Frederic Piquionne, their new loan signing from Lyon, shot low to extend Mark Schwarzer. From Niko Kranjcar’s corner Nadir Belhadj, ideally placed, failed to make contact with his header.
A better chance fell to Younes Kaboul at the start of the second half after Piquionne and Hayden Mullins had combined to tee up the full-back.
This time the attempt ended up in the stand while at the other end Johnson inexplicably missed the target from a glorious opening. Late on both Marc Wilson and David Nugent were wasteful in front of goal.
