Pompey lift the FA Cup
Nwankwo Kanu's 37th minute goal sent Portsmouth on
Nwankwo Kanu's 37th minute goal sent Portsmouth on their way to winning the FA Cup for only the second time in their history.
A mistake by Cardiff City goalkeeper Peter Enckelman led to the only game of the game. A cross from Nigerian international was mis-handled by the Cardiff custodian and was bundled home by the man who was named as the Man of the Match.
Pompey rode their luck early on as Cardiff took early control of the game. Pompey keeper David James had to save smartly from Paul Parry in the 12th minute after he'd been played in one-on-one.
Kanu hit the post after a lovely Pompey move mid-way through the first half, big Hermann went down the left flank and fed in Diarra who in turn found Kanu. The lankly front man then beat his man and the keeper before hitting the post from the narrowest of angles with the goal at his mercy.
The only goal of the game came a few minutes before the break. John Utaka finally took on his man and got in a decent cross to the near post. The keeper couldn't hold the ball and Kanu reacted quickest to score from a couple of yards.
Cardiff had a goal disallowed in first half injury time thanks to a handball and that would be the closest they would come.
The second half saw Cardiff come forward more, but with a strong defence that has only conceded once in the FA Cup, the Pompey backline held form.
It was the greatest day in 69 years for Portsmouth Football Club. A truly remarkable achievement for the club and for their manager Harry Redknapp.
For more on the FA Cup Final then keep checking the blog in the coming days.
