- Riggott (40), Tuncay (53)
- Date:2008-05-03
- Kick-off:15:00
- Venue:The Riverside Stadium
- Attendance:24828
- Referee:Walton, P
Live Commentary
90mins
The full-time whistle means Boro are mathematically safe from the drop and can certainly take heart from a performance like this as they were relatively untroubled in the second half.
88mins
Boateng has been all over the pitch for the home side and he is replaced for the last couple of minutes with Lee Cattermole
83mins
Premier League survival now looks guaranteed for Boro and Southgate will be pleased with his side's defensive work today, while the Tuncay-Alves partnership looks promising.
80mins
Portsmouth are quickly back on the attack but crosses into the box are not finding their targets and Boro dealing with them pretty comfortably.
77mins
Boro who have been on the back foot for the last ten minutes are so are almost celebrating a third but Ashdown gets fingertips to Downing's curling effort to avert the danger.
76mins
Pompey are turning the screw but they won't thank Johnson blazing wide from 25 yards out with bodies in the box.
73mins
The visitors are enjoying more of the possession at the moment but they are struggling to find a way through as Boro are defending pretty strongly.
70mins
Downing possibly takes the wrong option by going for goal and his 35-yarder never looks like troubling Ashdown.
67mins
Redknapp decides to make a double change and brings off the tunnel-visioned Baros and Papa Bouba Diop for David Nugent and Sean Davis.
66mins
Portsmouth are certainly on top at the moment but they are finding the Boro rearguard a tough nut to crack and Redkanpp's 200th game in charge of the south coast club looks like ending in defeat.
63mins
Kranjcar is looking the most dangerous of the Pompey players and again he goes close but his curling effort just doesn't quite curl enough.
61mins
Alves has picked up a knock and cannot continue, and he is replaced by Jeremie Aliadiere.
60mins
Baros is upended by Boateng to give Pompey a free kick in a dangerous position around 30 yards out. However, Kranjcar's drilled shot is wide right and Boro breathe again.
57mins
Harry Redknapp's side look to rebound quickly and are starting to pose their first goal threat in this second period but Wheater blocks Niko Kranjcar's effort.
53mins
Boro win another corner and it is again poor defending as Johnson lets his man go, and a free Tuncay is able to send his header low past Ashdown and surely guarantee Boro's survival.
48mins
Arca is late with his challenge on Diarra and joins his victim in the notebook with the game's second booking.
46mins
The game restarts with Portsmouth looking to come from behind, but they will hope for more from Jermain Defoe who had a disappointing first half.
45mins
In a lively first half, both teams created chances and Pompey will feel a little disappointed they are behind but a moment of poor defending has cost them.
44mins
Diarra finds himself as the first name in the referee's notebook after a foul on George Boateng.
40mins
Boro do well to win a corner and Rochemback whips one over from the right. The defending is all over the place as far as Pompey are concerned and Chris Riggott rises highest to power a header past Ashdown.
38mins
Johnson goes on of his raids down the right but his driven effort from distance is easy for Mark Schwarzer.
37mins
Papa Bouba Diop and Hermann Hreidarsson both have long-range efforts blocked as Pompey try to re-assert themselves.
33mins
The chances have just started to dry up as the offside flag interrupts play at both ends but it continues to be a lively game.
29mins
Gareth Southgate will be pleased with his side's performance now after a tentative start as Alves goes close but can't keep his effort on target.
26mins
Boro are just starting to get in the ascendancy and Downing goes for goal again but Sylvain Distin throws his body in the way and the danger passes.
25mins
Julio Arca creates some space for himself and sends over a nice looking cross but Downing's header goes wide of the post.
22mins
It is Boro's turn to come forward now and the ball is played to the edge of the box but Downing's ambitious volley is always going over.
19mins
Pompey work Arnold Mvuemba in space down the wing and his cross is met by Baros but his shot goes over the crossbar.
15mins
Stewart Downing is beginning to have an influence on proceedings and providing some dangerous balls in from the left but Pompey, led by Campbell, are keeping him at bay for the moment.
12mins
The play has just started to get a little scrappy as both teams are giving away free-kicks which is breaking up the flow of the game - no cards though.
9mins
After a tentative start from the home side, they are just starting to find their feet now and the game is beginning to liven up.
6mins
Boro respond and launch their first serious attack of the game. Sol Campbell does well to deny Tuncay's effort while Jamie Ashdown parries Martins Afonso Alves' follow-up away from danger.
5mins
Lassana Diarra threaded the ball through to Milan Baros in the box but his shot was blocked by David Wheater. The ball rebounds to Glen Johnson but he drags his effort wide of the target.
3mins
Pompey have settled into this game the quicker of the two as the home side look a little tentative in the opening exchanges but no chances as yet.
0mins
Both teams, mathematically speaking, still have something to play for with Middlesbrough worried about the drop and Pompey within reach of a fifth-placed finish in the league. We'll see how this one pans out.
0mins
Portsmouth line-up: Ashdown, Johnson, Distin, Campbell, Hreidarsson, Mvuemba, Diop, Diarra, Kranjcar, Baros, Defoe
0mins
Boro line-up: Schwarzer, Young, Wheater, Riggott, Pogatetz, Boateng, Rochemback, Arca, Downing, Sanli, Alves
Match Preview
Portsmouth must win at the Riverside Stadium on Saturday, and hope Everton slip up at Arsenal, if they are to continue to fight for fifth place and a guaranteed UEFA Cup spot.
Yet with the FA Cup final - and with it another chance for a UEFA Cup place - now just two weeks away, Pompey's temptation to concentrate only on that fixture could become more concrete if Middlesbrough can secure only a second league win since February.
Boro must first recover from heartbreak in last weekend's Wear-Tees derby.
Sunderland substitute Daryl Murphy headed an injury-time winner to snatch the game 3-2 after Boro had taken a fourth-minute lead.
"It's hard to lose a local derby but I've got a great group of players - this setback will make us stronger," manager Gareth Southgate pledged after the game.
Defender Luke Young also spoke out about the game, venting his frustration and labelling his side "a soft touch."
Middlesbrough will have to do it without a number of injured players. Goalkeepers Mark Schwarzer, Brad Jones and Ross Turnbull are all doubtful and Southgate will need at least one of the three to recover or face using a youth player.
Portsmouth almost rival Boro in that department with keepers Jamie Ashdown and David James both struggling with back and calf injuries respectively.
Defender Noe Pamarot remains a doubt but he is back in training after injuring his knee in February.
Pompey boss Harry Redknapp spoke about James' injury and explained that he is unlikely to be fit for at least another week.
"The scan revealed a slight tear (in his calf), but if he'd trained it could have been worse. I think he'll be okay for the Fulham game in two weeks," he explained.
Striker Jermain Defoe has already spoken out ahead of the FA Cup final, expressing his frustration at being cup-tied for the clash with Cardiff City.
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Match Report
Middlesbrough defender Chris Riggott made a dramatic return from a loan spell with Stoke City.
After being involved in Stoke's Championship promotion challenge, Riggott answered an emergency call to set Middlesbrough on the road to Premier League survival.
Riggott, whose last appearance at the Riverside Stadium was six months ago, scored with a vital header in the first half to help Boro on the way to a double over the FA Cup finalists.
At the final whistle, Middlesbrough could celebrate safety and look forward to their tenth consecutive season in the Premier League with all the financial rewards of top-flight status.
Mark Schwarzer returned in goal for the home side, but David James was again absent for Portsmouth with Jamie Ashdown deputising for the England keeper.
Portsmouth looked the more dangerous in the early stages of the game against a nervy home side.
Yet Middlesbrough made the first scoring attempt with Ashdown saving well from Afonso Alves.
Pompey hit back and Milan Baros shot over with a scoring chance, while Lassana Diarra was prominent in early Portsmouth attacks.
Middlesbrough needed to provide a greater sense of urgency with so much at stake.
The team responded to vocal support with Stewart Downing heading wide and Alves shooting wide from just inside the penalty area.
Glen Johnson tried a 25-yard shot for Portsmouth but his effort was easily collected by Schwarzer, who had a relatively easy 90 minutes.
Five minutes before the break came the all-important breakthrough as Fabio Rochemback sent over a right-wing corner and Riggott gave Ashdown no chance with a firm header.
Just before the interval, Diarra was booked for a foul
Two minutes after the break, Julio Arca was shown the yellow card for pulling an opponent's shirt.
Middlesbrough piled on the pressure at this stage and the tireless Sanli Tuncay gained some reward for his performance with a headed goal from a right-wing Downing corner.
Visiting fans chanted "We are going to Wembley" and after the break it looked as though the Pompey players had one eye on the FA Cup Final.
There was a penalty appeal when Jermain Defoe hit the deck but the referee waved on play.
Middlesbrough held on for a vital three points and can now plan for another season with the big boys.
Middlesbrough Team
Portsmouth Team
Middlesbrough | Portsmouth |
Corners
| 7 | 5 |
Fouls
| 16 | 11 |
Goal attempts
| 10 | 13 |
Shots off target
| 4 | 5 |
Offsides
| 3 | 1 |



86mins
Time is fast running out for Pompey and in truth, they haven't worked Schwarzer at all in this second half.