Source: Daily_Mail
Sunderland 1 Portsmouth 1: Kaboul is the hero and villain for Pompey
First, the bare facts. Younes Kaboul scored, took his shirt off and was dismissed in the course of a few crazy seconds during the 93rd minute at the Stadium of Light.[LNB]Portsmouth manager Avram Grant ridiculed the rule that had brought his player a red card, saluted his side's fighting spirit and continued to insist that the great escape was on.[LNB]With four points from a possible six, it is not the time to argue with the determined and surprisingly humorous Israeli with the haunted features. If anyone can work a miracle at a club with little or no midfield and even less money, the former Chelsea boss can.[LNB] The punisher: Kaboul scores a late equaliser [LNB]Sunderland manager Steve Bruce looked as though he had eatensomething particularly unpleasant at a Christmas party, so sickeningwas the timing of the equaliser that robbed his side of victory. [LNB]Darren Bent had fired his 10th of the season to remind Englandmanager Fabio Capello that he has not lost his touch. But Bruce tookoff his strikers too early and riskily sat back on a slender lead,inviting Portsmouth's charge.[LNB]Jamie O'Hara's hopeful corner prompted the pinball madness in addedtime. Frederic Piquionne almost netted but S Sunderland keeper MartonFulop stood defiant until Kaboul's killer touch prompted chaos.[LNB]Unable to control his euphoria, Kaboul rushed to the small butfanatical band of Pompey supporters, stripping to the waste as he divedin among them. [LNB]He emerged a full minute later, the advertising boards having beendemolished where player met fans. Sunderland supporters were spittingmad at the sheer drama of it all.[LNB] A man in form: Darren Bent notched his tenth of the season[LNB] [LNB]Already in referee Steve Bennett's notebook for fouling Bent, Kaboulmust have known his fate. Bennett was waiting with a yellow card then ared.[LNB]Grant felt there was something he had to get off his chest, too,though the substance of his argument was weakened by the fact thatKaboul's striptease appeared to have increased the chances of crowdunrest.[LNB]The Portsmouth boss claimed: 'One guy woke up in the morning at FIFAand said, 'This is the rule'. Kaboul took off his shirt. Big deal. Whatis the purpose of this rule? Is someone damaged, someone disturbed,someone angry? Younes apologised to me. You need to control yourselfbut it is not easy. All our bench took their shirts off. You could seethe kitman's belly and it wasn't a pretty sight.'[LNB]All very amusing, even if it ignored the fact that there were plentyof angry people in that corner of the Stadium of Light, particularlySunderland fans.[LNB]Bruce said: 'We got hit with a sucker-punch, something we didn't deserve. But we should have been out of sight.[LNB]'We gave the ball away too easily then didn't deal with thecorner. We need to be able to deal with the expectation and the groansbut this is like a defeat for us and the fans.'[LNB]The brightest moment for Sunderland came when Jordan Henderson, 19,nutmegged Marc Wilson in the 22nd minute and delivered an invitingcross. Andy Reid volleyed back a first-time pass to Bent, who drilledhome the opener.[LNB]'Jordan has had a fantastic season so far and he was excellent,' said Bruce.[LNB]Henderson almost scored with a curler that drifted wide, Bent sliceda chance and Kenwyne Jones was equally wasteful. Then Portsmouth subsDanny Webber and Papa Bouba Diop came on and suddenly they smelledblood, with Kaboul delivering the equaliser.[LNB] Revisiting the horrors of my father's past helped me embrace the future, says Portsmouth boss Avram GrantSunderland and Hull on alert: Kazim-Richards up for sale after sex marathonPampered players are just trouble, says Sunderland manager Steve Bruce SUNDERLAND FC
