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Cup dream over for Barnsley
BARNSLEY 0 CARDIFF CITY 1
THE FA CUP has regained its magical lustre this season, largely thanks to the exploits of Championship side Barnsley, who knocked out Liverpool and Chelsea in successive rounds.
But there was to be no dream final appearance, as the South Yorkshire side were bundled out by Cardiff City in a lacklustre semi-final at Wembley Stadium on Sunday.
This was a poor advert for the Championship - a league better supported than the much-hyped Italian Seria A, and one where a dozen clubs are chasing three lucrative Premier League slots.
What promised to be keenly fought tussle, between two evenly matched sides, was a dour showing of poor control, atrocious set pieces, misplaced passing and woeful finishing.
The outcome was settled as early as the ninth minute with the only quality of the entire afternoon. Barnsley captain Rob Kozluk failed to clear a goalmouth melee, and his tame header fell invitingly to Joe Ledley who hooked the ball into the net to beat Barnsley keeper Lee Steele from 20 yards.
For all Barnsley's 70% possession, and the industrious running of pocket battleship, Jamal Campbell-Ryce, the Tykes lacked a cutting edge, and seldom troubled Cardiff keeper Peter Enckelman.
Kayode Odejayi - who's header knocked out Chelsea in the quarter final- had an afternoon he will want to forget.
Running on to a through ball on 65 minutes, and with only the keeper to beat, the Nigerian's shot was so poor, it didn't even hit the post. With his head in his hands, Odejayi knew the game was over, and Barnsley's expectant fans knew it too.
As Cardiff's bluebird hordes sang lustily to proclaim a cup final place - never wanting to leave the scene of their triumph, Barnsley's Yorkshire folk trudged off to the congestion of the Metropolitan line, and the real worry that a league defeat away to Watford on Wednesday , might leave them in the bottom three from where they might not get out.
A semi-final defeat, and relegation - all in the same season - part of the ups and downs of your average football fan.
PAUL COWLING
Kanu tap in sinks Baggies
PORTSMOUTH 1 WEST BROMICH ALBION 0
SATURDAY'S match at the new Wembley attracted a crowd of 83,584, a record for an FA Cup semi-final and a welcome fillip for the economic health of north London.
After 94 minutes Premiership Portsmouth ran out the fortunate winners by a single goal.
Though neither manager would later admit to seeing the incident clearly, Nwanko Kanu’s 54th-minute winner was a direct result of Milan Baros’s second hand-ball of the game as he controlled a floated cross before turning and shooting.
Dean Kiely in the West Brom goal could only parry and after team-mate Zoltan Gera got in the way, in the scramble, Kanu was quick enough to pounce first on the loose ball and steer it into the net.
West Brom manager Tony Mowbray had no criticism of referee Howard Webb, but the replay clearly showed Baros’s use of the forearm. As the Czech Republic forward had been booked in the 36th minute, this was the crucial decision of the game.
Portsmouth it was who had the better chances, though the first half distinguished neither team. The Championship side, who will now concentrate all their efforts on winning a promotion or play-off place with just six remaining league fixtures, had been the more impressive.
Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp praised his opponents as “the best footballing team in the division” but while their passing was OK their penetration was obviously lacking at the sharp end and Kevin Phillips had a particularly frustrating time against a solid defence.
West Brom did hit the woodwork in the second half, with a Robert Koren effort whacking the crossbar. When Ishmael Miller came on as substitute on the hour, West Brom seemed more threatening, but he squandered a couple of chances including a near post effort from a beautiful Carl Hoefkens cross just 10 minutes from time.
Pompey, too, failed to capitalise on great chances which fell first to Baros on 65 and to substitute David Nugent right at the death.
After the goal, though, they had always looked the more composed and likely to score again, and in Lassana Diarra they had my man of the match in midfield.
So it is Portsmouth who will return for the final tie on May 17 against Cardiff. The south coast side were last in the final in 1939, four months before the outbreak of war. They took the trophy, beating Wolves 4-1 on the day and retained it for six years and 363 days until the competition retarted after the hostilities.
The 2008 final will be a far more cosmopolitan affair, of course, with the Pompey squad alone boasting players from France, Czech Republic, Portugal, Iceland, Scotland, Cameroon, Senegal, Nigeria, Ghana, Croatia.
So what of the international perspective for Harry Redknapp?
Asked how he thought about the prospect of playing in European competition if they do win the trophy, the manager responded: “I don’t give a monkey’s, really. I just want to win the FA Cup!”
JOHN EVANS |
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