Source: FOOTYMAD
Piquionne Puts Pompey Through To Wembley
Portsmouth 2 Birmingham City 0 Frederic Piquionne scored twice to secure Pompey's fourth trip to Wembley in two years in front of a jubilant Fratton Park crowd.The FA Cup has proved to be a refreshing tonic to go with the nasty main course that has been the Premier League and now Pompey are just two wins away from winning the trophy again, and it would be sweeter this time round.John Utaka forced a save from Joe Hart in the first minute but the quality of Pompey's play did not match their desire. Birmingham couldn't get going either with just a Cameron Jerome shot that was saved by James to shout about. Defences were on top and 0-0 looked the most likely result at full time when the whistle for half-time blew. The game itself didn't get going until the second half. The game livened up a bit after the break as our defenders had to make some crucial challenges to prevent Birmingham from scoring after some breakaway play as Pompey also threatened more regularly. Pompey were the better side in terms of overall play but with Johnson and Dann so solid in the middle for the opposition it looked like the only way we'd be rewarded with a goal would be if Alex McLeish's men made a mistake.Thankfully, they did.Hart and Dann collided when the ball was swung into the box by Finnan and after some confusion, leaving Piquionne to eventually force to ball in and give Pompey a deserved lead.Things got even better a few minutes later as O'Hara's excellent through ball found Piquionne again who turned Johnson and fired past Hart to send Pompey fans into dreamland as we were just 20 minutes away from Wembley.The last minutes of this game may well have been more nervous if it wasn't for the match officials deciding that Liam Ridgewell's header hadn't crossed the line. Replays suggested that it had (I haven't seen them yet) but I find the decision extremely ironic given that the International FA announced that it wouldn't be exploring the use of goal-line technology in the future.Had that goal been given, you never know what may have happened as Pompey had gone into their shell from the moment the second goal went in. Saying that, Piquionne could easily have had a hat-trick when Pompey broke and he missed Diop's cross.But this was to be Pompey's day. The final whistle blew and the Wembley songs were sung loud and proud as Avram Grant and his men lauded the praise from the grateful Fratton Park crowd.The feeling still hasn't quite sunk in yet. Us Pompey fans have suffered so much this season with a constant stream of bad results on the pitch and bad news off it. This trip to Wembley is just reward for all those who have stuck by this club when it has really mattered and who knows, maybe we can even win the cup again?Given all what has gone on this season, it would be a greater achievement to lift the famous trophy this year than back in 2008.I love the FA Cup!Pompey Player RatingsDavid James: 8 - Some excellent last gasp saves and takes to deny Birmingham a way back in the game.Steve Finnan: 8 - Best game yet for Pompey.Hermann Hreidarsson: 8 - Read the game very well.Tal Ben-Haim: 6 - Solid return to the side.Nadir Belhadj: 7 - Seems to have improved defensively and got forward well.Michael Brown: 6 - Involved as always.Marc Wilson: 7 - Excelled in his midfield role once again.Jamie O'Hara: 8 - Tremendous workrate and made things happen.Danny Webber: 5 - Ineffective out wide.John Utaka: 6 - Some good runs.Frederic Piquionne: 8 - Two-goal hero and might have had more.SubstitutesJamie AshdownHayden MullinsAngelos BasinasPapa Bouba Diop (Webber 85): N/A - Late change to shore things up.Quincy Owusu-AbeyieAruna DindaneKanu
