• Date: Sat 05 April 2008
  • Venue: Wembley Stadium
  • Ref: Webb, H
  • Attendance: 83,584

West Bromwich Albion vs Portsmouth

Team Lineups

West Bromwich Albion

Dean Kiely
Neil Clement
Martin Albrechtsen
Carl Hoefkens
Paul Robinson
James Morrison (Chris Brunt, 60)
Jonathan Greening
Robert Koren
Kevin Phillips
Zoltan Gera (Kim Do-Heon, 75)
Roman Bednar (Ishmael Miller, 60)

Portsmouth

David James
Sol Campbell
Sylvain Distin
Hermann Hreidarsson
Glen Johnson
Niko Kranjcar
Lassana Diarra, L
Papa Bouba Diop
Sulley Muntari
Milan Baros (David Nugent, 71)
Nwankwo Kanu (Sean Davis, 80)


Live Text Commentary
Full time
 

Full-Time: WBA 0-1 PORTSMOUTH.

90

It looks as though Portsmouth will be playing in the fourth FA Cup Final in their history next month as the seconds tick by.

90

Pompey win a free-kick inside the Baggies half as the three minutes of stoppage time start.

89

Albion win a late corner but Martin Albrechtsen slips at the vital moment as the ball comes into the penalty area and the chance is lost.

88

Portsmouth play down the clock as Albion grow increasingly desperate.

86

Miller has a great chance to equalise only to side-foot wide from ten yards out - could that be Albion's last chance to get back into the game?

84

Nugent is sent clear but is too slow and when three Albion players close his down he first straight at Kiely.

83

Albion are caught offside once again and seem to be tiring badly as the game enters its final stages.

81
Substitution
 

Redknapp makes a second change with goalscorer Kanu being replaced by Sean Davis.

79

Nugent sets up Kanu on the edge of the penalty area, but the veteran Nigerian seems unsure what to do and is eventually bundled off the ball.

77

Miller does well down the left to beat Campbell but then delays his cross and, when it does eventually come in, James leaps to claim the ball.

76

Muntari uses his power to force his way past two Baggies defenders but then fires wide when he should have at least hit the target.

75
Substitution
 

Mowbray makes his final change with Gera making way for Kim Do-Heon.

75

James is beaten but Robert Koren's stunning shot comes back off the crossbar.

75

Nugent's first contribution to the match is to be caught offside.

74

Phillips looks to be about to gather a long hoof forward until James spots the danger and comes off his line to claim the ball.

72
Substitution
 

Redknapp brings off Baros with David Nugent coming on to replace him.

70

Gera does well to win the ball but then curls a shot high and very wide.

68

Albion's close passing game has deserted them as Pompey take a firm grip on the match.

66

Portsmouth are starting to dominate proceedings and it should be 2-0 as Kranjcar plays in Baros who seems certain to score only for Kiely to deflect the weak shot away for a corner, that comes to nothing.

64

Glen Johnson gets to the byline for the first time and fires a cross into the six-yard area that no-one can get on the end of.

63

James races out of his goal to stop another Albion attack but it already looks as though this game is going to end 1-0.

61
Substitution
 

And Chris Brunt replacing James Morrison.

61
Substitution
 

Albion make a double change with Ishmael Miller coming on for the ineffective Bednar.

58

Portsmouth are playing much better since the goal as Muntari leads another attack that is eventually snuffed out.

56

Portsmouth certainly don't deserve their lead but Albion must be kicking themselves for not making their first-half dominance count.

54
Goal
 

WBA 0-1 PORTSMOUTH. Suddenly Pompey break as Kiely parries Baros' close-range shot, but as the veteran keeper tries to gather the ball, Gera gets in his way and KANU taps home the rebound.

53

This game is there for the taking for Albion but they seem to have lost their way as well.

51

Campbell concedes a free-kick for handball as Pompey continue to make elementary errors.

49

It's been a ragged start to the second half by both teams with no cohesive passing moves of note.

47

Surely Portsmouth will have had a good talking-to at the break, but they still seem decidedly lack-lustre.

Second half
 

Albion get the second half underway - no changes by either side at half-time.

Half time
 

Half-Time: WBA 0-0 PORTSMOUTH

45

There's only been one team in it but the game's still goalless, much to Pompey's relief at half-time.

43

Muntari breaks but can't make his mind up what to do and is easily dispossessed by Gera.

41

Kanu almost sets up Baros but the Czech striker is unable to get his toe to the ball and Kiely is able to gather comfortably.

39

To sum up Pompey's woeful first-half display, Niko Kranjcar and Hreidarsson contrive to mess up a throw-in routine.

37

Tony Mowbray's side have certainly been the better team but it's still 0-0 and surely Pompey can't be as bad in the second half.

35
Yellow Card
 

Baros is booked after the former Liverpool and Aston Villa striker kicks the ball away after the referee had blown for handball.

35

Albion's early zip has disappeared as Pompey edge their way back into the game.

34

At last something for Webb to do as Hermann Hreidarsson has a few angry words with the official after giving away a free-kick for fouling Gera. The Hungary international slipped but Webb is adamant they'll be no dissent.

32

There's hardly been a bad tackle in the game - Howard Webb can not have had an easier match to referee all season.

31

Sulley Muntari's ambitious 35-yard free-kick is easily gathered by Kiely.

29

Kanu wins another free-kick as Pompey at last start to keep the ball.

27

Despite all their possession, Albion haven't really fashioned a decent opportunity as Gera fires wildly high and wide.

25

Better by Portsmouth but Milan Baros is unable to test Baggies keeper Dean Kiely.

23

A great Jonathan Greening tackle stops a possible Pompey counter-attack.

21

Albion are quicker to every 50-50 ball, they really are up for this game whereas Portsmouth seem over-awed.

19

The match is going through a scrappy phase as Portsmouth attempt to move up through the gears.

17

Papa Bouba Diop is caught offside though as Albion break forward again and look to score the goal that their early dominance warrants.

15

At last Pompey launch an attack as Kanu wins a free-kick inside Albion's half.

13

Redknapp must be concerned by his side's nervous start - they're being completely outplayed at the moment.

11

Phillips has a shot blocked - it's one-way traffic at the moment.

9

Portsmouth can't get out of their own half as Kevin Phillips leads another Albion charge.

7

Portsmouth have started nervously as Albion dominate the early stages.

5

David James fumbles Zoltan Gera's long-range shot but Sol Campbell is able to clear the ball before any Albion player can knock home the rebound.

3

The Baggies fans are in good voice as Albion attempt to reach their first FA Cup Final in 40 years.

2

Albion start well but Roman Bednar is unable to gather the ball inside the Portsmouth penalty area.

1
Kickoff
 

Pompey get the game underway on a bright but cold day.

Awaiting Kickoff
 

Albion have a reputation for scoring lots of goals and conceding their fair share. It could be a Wembley classic.

Awaiting Kickoff
 

As the only top-flight side left in the competition, Harry Redknapp's team are the favourites to win the trophy for the first time since their only success in 1939.

Awaiting Kickoff
 

Portsmouth meet West Brom in the first semi-final of what has been an amazing FA Cup.