Source: Daily_Mail
Portsmouth 2 Birmingham 0: See you back at Wembley Harry!
[LNB]The dream draw or one they need like another bounced cheque? The lasttime Portsmouth and Harry Redknapp were together at Wembley, it was thefinest day in the club's FA Cup history since 1939. [LNB]Tottenham must beatFulham first, of course, but Portsmouth are already there and lying inwait for their old manager.[LNB]For the neutrals, it is a draw thatrepresents the magic of the FA Cup. For Pompey, the Spurs team-sheetwill remind them of what they used to be. Peter Crouch, Jermain Defoeand Niko Kranjcar are among the former Fratton Park idols who swappedsides with their manager. [LNB] Make mine a double: Frederic Piquionne fires Pompey to Wembley[LNB] [LNB]In their place are a bunch of loan signingsand free transfers who might all soon be heading for the exit door. Butonly after their date at Wembley. [LNB]There was a naive charm about theatmosphere and the sheer wide-eyed grins on the faces of the Pompeyfans on Saturday. [LNB]Perhaps it was disbelief that such a gloomy seasonmight be memorable for deeds on the pitch. [LNB]Portsmouth's players echoedthe sentiments of their followers, unified with the fans in a commonpurpose of reaching their second FA Cup final in three seasons.[LNB]Defender Hermann Hreidarsson said: 'They deserve their day out atWembley. This means so much to everyone. This club brings the wholecommunity together - 250,000 celebrated when we won the Cup last time.It was the most amazing day. [LNB] Goal-line scramble: Frederic Piquionne (centre) fires Pompey ahead[LNB]'Footballers are lucky. Even if things got**s up, we get another club. But the club belongs to the fans and tothe real people who have been working here for years. All we can hopeis that the administrator will be nice on Monday, try to see the clubthrough and not sack people left, right and centre. It's so sad thatpeople will be losing their jobs. [LNB]'Getting to Wembley is without adoubt a greater achievement than getting there two years ago, eventhough we beat Man United away that season. Last time the semi-finalwas ours to lose. Now it's ours to win.' [LNB]Portsmouth in the last-four? Redknapp's Spurs have to beat Fulham to set up an intriguing semi-final [LNB][LNB]A quarter-final that meanderedalong in a cagey first half was there for Birmingham to win aswell but, when their set-pieces didn't work, they were forced to pushmore men forward and that left room for Pompey. [LNB]Rampaging FredericPiquionne was the main beneficiary. Three minutes after stabbing homethe first goal midway through the second half, he toyed with RogerJohnson before sliding home the second. [LNB]Goals rather than work-ratehave made the striker popular, every one banishing further the memoryof his first season at Lyon when, having been signed for £4million, hescored just two goals.[LNB] As a loanee, he is not even sure whether he willfinish the season at Portsmouth, should the administrator attempt toshave the wage bill by sending back loan players. [LNB]Piquionne said: 'I'm31, not young any more, and I want to show everyone in France that I amnot finished. Above all, I hope to stay in England. I enjoyed sharingthe moment with the fans at the end. I hope they love me. I have neverexperienced an atmosphere like that.' [LNB] Great timing: Liam Ridgewell leads the chorus of disapproval after his header crossed the line at Fratton Park[LNB] [LNB]MATCH FACTS PORTSMOUTH (4-5-1): James 7; Finnan 6, Ben Haim 6, Hreidarsson 7, Belhadj 5; Webber 5 (Diop 85min), Brown 6, Wilson 5, O'Hara 7, Utaka 4; Piquionne 7. Booked: Brown.[LNB]BIRMINGHAM CITY (4-4-2): Hart 5; Carr 5, Johnson 5, Dann 5, Ridgewell 6; Larsson 5 (Gardner 84), Bowyer 7, Ferguson 7, Fahey 4 (Phillips 72, 5); McFadden 5 (Benitez 76), Jerome 5. Booked: Ferguson.[LNB]Man of the match: Jamie O'Hara.[LNB]Referee: Steve Bennett.[LNB][LNB]Birmingham were denied a way backinto it when Liam Ridgewell's header was incorrectly deemed not to havecrossed the line, yet while manager and players pointed out the follyof the linesman's decision, none argued that it denied them anythingother than a glimmer of hope.[LNB] Ridgewell said: 'I knew straight away itwas a goal. It bounced behind the line, hit (David) James and thenbounced back. I couldn't believe it when the linesman didn'tput hisflag up. But we conceded two horrible goals and we're bitterlydisappointed. This might be the best chance of getting to Wembley for along time.' [LNB]Reaching Wembley will earn Portsmouth around £1.2million.Promises off the pitch have proved to be all too false this season.Thankfully, Wembley is no mirage.[LNB] FA CUP SEMI-FINALS: Villa v Chelsea, Tottenham or Fulham v PortsmouthAvram in ecstasy: Broke Pompey back at Wembley after seeing off BluesPompey 2 Birmingham 0: Piquionne's brace fires crisis club to WembleyPORTSMOUTH FC
