• Date: Sun 23 September 2007
  • Venue: Ewood Park
  • Ref: Foy, C
  • Attendance: 19,506

Blackburn Rovers vs Portsmouth

Team Lineups

Blackburn Rovers

Brad Friedel
Christopher Samba
Stephen Warnock
Andre Ooijer
Morten Gamst Pedersen (Jason Roberts, 79)
Brett Emerton
David Bentley
David Dunn (Kerimoglu Tugay, 56)
Robbie Savage
Benni McCarthy (Matt Derbyshire, 56)
Roque Santa Cruz

Portsmouth

David James
Hermann Hreidarsson
Glen Johnson
Sol Campbell
Sylvain Distin
Niko Kranjcar (Matt Taylor, 86)
Papa Bouba Diop
John Utaka (Noe Pamarot, 90)
Sulley Muntari
Sean Davis
Nwankwo Kanu (Mwaruwari Benjani, 69)


Live Text Commentary
Full time
 

Full time at Ewood Park

90
Substitution
 

John Utaka is replaced by Noe Pamarot

90

Santa Cruz could only glance a header at David James after a cross to the back post from Tugay

90

Blackburn look drained and ready for the full time whistle to be blown.

90

The fourth official indicates 3 minutes of added time

88

Matt Taylor straight into the action as he had the chance to seal it for Pompey but his right footed volley was hit right at Brad Friedel who made the block

86
Substitution
 

Matt Taylor replaces Niko Krancjar

85

David James was at full stretch as he looked to save Bentley's long range effort as it flew past the post

82

David Bentley's outswinging corner was cleared by Diop as Portsmouth defend desperately in the last ten minutes here

80
Substitution
 

Jason Roberts replaces Morten Gamst Pedersen

78
Yellow Card
 

David James booked for time wasting

77

A good move from Blackburn with another half chance, this time falling to Gamst Pedersen who couldn't keep his effort down

75

Brad Friedel with another good save from a Hermann Hreidarsson header to prevent Pompey going two up

73

A chance straight up the other end for Pompey to seal the game with Benjani crossing the ball in and Dioup sliding in to put the ball just wide of the post

70

Christopher Samba should have brought Rovers back on level terms but his header missed the target from Bentley's cross

68
Substitution
 

Kanu is replaced by Benjani

66

The Pompey defence did well to anticipate Bentley's run to cross the ball with Hreidarsson intercepting the ball and passing up field

64

Papa Boupa Dioup should consider himself lucky to be on pitch still after three persisitant fouls following his yellow card in the first half

60

A direct run from Matt Derbyshire made his intentions clear as he drove forward positively and won a corner for Rovers

58

Stephen Warnock was lucky to get away without a booking after an obstruction on Dioup

56
Substitution
 

Benni McCarthy is replaced Matt Derbyshire

56
Substitution
 

David Dunn is replaced by Tugay

55

Blackburn are looking for a moment of brilliance or a killer ball that will cut Pompey's defence open, but they dont look very creative at the minute

52

Papa Boupa Diop will need to be careful after he recieved a final warning from Referee Chris Foy for a clip on Gamst Pedersen

50

Brad Friedel did well to prevent Kanu from tapping the ball into the net after Christopher Samba had mis-judged the cross into the penalty area

49

Cross by David Bentley into the goal area but Sylvain Distin was there to head to safety

47

A good start to the second half from Santa Cruz who chased down Glen Johnson to the byline and won a corner for Blackburn

Second half
 

Portsmouth get the game back underway

Half time
 

Half time here at Ewood Park and Portsmouth go in ahead

44

The fourth official indicates two minutes of added time

43

David Bentley made a brilliant run forward after beating three men but was tackled by the fourth before he could slot McCarthy in on goal

40

Portsmouth failed to capatalise on a five on four counter attack as John Utaka was easily pushed off the ball by Gamst Pedersen of all people

37

Gamst Pedersen with one of his dangerous inswinging corners but Glen Johnson rose heighest and headed it clear

34

David James showing a good command of his area as he came rushing out to gather the ball from McCarthy's feet

32

David Bentley tried to dance around Hermann Hreidarsson down the right, but the Icelandic defender did well to block the delivery

30

Andre Ooijer with some solid defending for Rovers as he ushered Utaka off the ball with ease and played it up field to Bentley

27

Santa Cruz couldn't quite keep his header down after a good deep cross from Stephen Warnock

25

Robbie Savage gets annoyed with the Blackburn defence as they failed to clear there lines and nearly let in Kanu once again

23
Goal
 

BLACKBURN 0 - 1 PORTSMOUTH (KANU): Nwankwo Kanu with a goal to put pompey in front

21

Sylvain Distin and Santa Cruz have a little spat between each other after an aerial collision

20

A quiet and slow start to the game so far, with Blackburn having the best of the chances to go in front

17
Yellow Card
 

Dioup goes in the referee's notebook for a mistimed tackle on Bentley

14

Papa Boupa Diop with an audacious strike from a good thirty yards out which unsuprisingly went over the bar

12

David Bentley ran the Pompey defence ragged before unleashing a strike from eighteen yards out, but unfortunately for him it flew over the bar

10

Benni McCarthy with a not particularly handsome strike on goal for Rovers as it span high and wide of the upright

8

Portsmouth won their first corner of the game but Krancjar's delivery was headed clear by Christopher Samba

6

Robbie Savage leaves the field of play for a leg injury but the Welshman looks like he's going to come back and carry on

4

Roque Santa Cruz was so close to his first goal at Ewood Park as he headed the ball straight against the post from eight yards out

2

Blackburn make the first attack of the game as Morten Gamst Pedersen's deep cross was cleared easily by Sol Campbell

1
Kickoff
 

Blackburn get the game underway here at Ewood Park

Awaiting Kickoff
 

Referee: Chris Foy (Merseyside)

Awaiting Kickoff
 

Portsmouth make only one change to the team that drew with Liverpool last weekend with Niko Krancjar replacing Benjani.

Awaiting Kickoff
 

Mark Hughes makes only one change to the team that lost in Uefa Cup midweek, and that is Christopher Samba comes into replace the injured Ryan Nelson in the heart of the defence.

Awaiting Kickoff
 

Portsmouth Line-up: James, Johnson, Campbell, Distin, Hreidarsson, Muntari, Davis, Diop, Kranjcar, Kanu, Utaka

Awaiting Kickoff
 

Blackburn Rovers Line-up: Friedel, Emerton, Samba, Ooijer, Warnock, Bentley, Savage, Dunn, Pedersen, Santa Cruz, McCarthy