[Liverweb] Portsmouth FA Cup Match Report

The Reds went through to the next round of the FA Cup yesterday and
have today been handed a plumhome tie against Man united.

The match report from yesterday is here below

Liverweb FA Cup Match Report

Portsmouth 1 Liverpool 2

Liverpool : Reina, Kromkamp, Carragher, Hyypia, Warnock, Riise,
Alonso, Gerrard(C), Sissoko, Cisse, Morientes

Subs Used : Crouch for Morientes (72), Finnan for Gerrard (79),
Kewell for Cisse (82)

Subs Unused : Carson, Traore

Att : 17247

Ref : Phil Dowd

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The Reds went through to the next round of the FA Cup with a 2-1 win
at Portsmouth. The game was dull as dishwater but the Reds did
enough in the end to get through. Two goals up in the first half was
enough for the Reds to get through despite the home side pulling a
goal back in the second half.

The Reds handed a first start to Jan Kromkamp at right back whilst
Cisse partnered Morientes up front. Newly captured Robbie Fowler was
ineligible for the match and Scott Carson dropped to the bench.
Portsmouth started the match on what looked like a patchwork quilt
of a pitch. The grass had just been re-done and this was always
going to cut up.

The start of the game was a typical example of what was going to
carry on. The drums and whistle from the home crowd were annoying
and the football was boring. The first thing of any note that
happened took ten minutes and that was for Pericard to get a
booking. That card came when he went in heavily on Kromkamp. Two
minutes later and Hughes was booked when he followed through on
Carragher. A minute further on up at the Portsmouth end Vignal led
with his elbow in a challenge on Gerrard. Gerrard then refused
Vignal's handshake which resulted in a talking to from the ref.

On twenty minutes there was one of those great comedy moments when
Kromkamp took an amazing dive on the touchline. This at least woke
some people up. The game just wasn't going at all and you could be
forgiven if you fell asleep during this one. Neither side troubled
the keepers. The game though suddenly sprang in to life on thirty
five minutes when the Reds were awarded a penalty. Stefanovic was
adjudged to have deliberately handled the ball and referee Dowd
pointed to the spot. Steven Gerrard stepped up and put the penalty
away for a 1-0 lead.

Just four minutes later the Reds were two up thanks to John Arne
Riise. Riise was played through down the left hand side and from the
edge of the area struck a great left foot shot past Kiely and in to
the bottom corner of the net. The Reds could have had a third just
before half time but after Gerrard played a ball through it was just
too long for Morientes to reach before Kiely was out. Half time
though and it was relative easy street.

The Reds got the second half underway attacking the end with our own
fans in. It saw Portsmouth bring Todorov on and they changed shape a
little which did improve them a bit but the game was still as dull.

Portsmouth grabbed a goal back on fifty four minutes when Davis
headed a free kick in the net past Reina. Now it was game on or at
least should have been but even now the game just didn't seem to get
going at all. Portsmouth tried to come forward but the pitch was so
woeful that they couldn't play through us so tried to play over us
more which Hyypia and Carragher dealt with.

Stefanovic did go close with a free kick that went just over the bar
with ten minutes to go but that apart they had just about one scare
all game and that was when Todorov spun Hyypia before crossing into
the middle and Reina grabbed the ball at the second attempt after
nearly losing it. The Reds though went through after three extra
minutes had been played.

MotM : Jan Kromkamp - played well and consistently throughout the
game which will help keep pressure on Finnan at right back.

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Match Stats
Portsmouth Liverpool
49% Possession 51%
3 Shots On Target 2
4 Shots Off Target 3
1 Blocked Shots 1
7 Corners 7
13 Fouls 12
3 Offsides 2
3 Yellow Cards 1
0 Red Cards 0

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