Road to Wembley - King Kanu

I quite enjoyed the FA Cup final, despite Pompey being so negative in the 2nd half, but credit to Cardiff for never giving up the ghost. I was in a half-full pub and it was unusual not to hear one American accent, just English voices with the occasional Welsh one mixed in. It will be a lot different I am sure on Wednesday when the Manchester Devils play the Chelsea Ruskies.

Cardiff started the game at real pace and continued it for large chunks of the game. Pompey's passing and movement, allowed them to sit back and soak up Cardiff pressure. The first chance came to Paul Parry after Joe Ledley played him in but 'keeper David James made a crucial block to deny Cardiff the lead.

Kanu almost scored in the 21st minute after a sublimely controlling a pass from Sulley Muntari, dancing around Enckelman, only to send his effort against the outside of the post with the goal unguarded.

He made no mistake eight minutes before the interval when Enckelman, aho had looked dodgy all half, could only push out Utaka's whipped cross from the right flank and KANU pounced to score.

Cardiff had more than held their own and almost provided an instant response when Parry raced clear down the left, but his cross stretched Kevin McNaughton as he arrived at the far post and the chance was gone.

And Bluebirds had a goal ruled out in first-half injury time when Pompey keeper James - who has form for high-profile mistakes in FA Cup finals - missed a corner, but Loovens handled before sending a looping finish into the net.

In the 2nd half Cardiff took the game to Portsmouth, who sat back and rarely threatened. Pompey resorted to niggly fouls to upset Cardiff's tempo. Dave Jones threw on 17-year old Aaron Ramsey, and later substituted fat boy Jelly Floyd Hasselbaink, who was as pants as he was for Charlton the whole of last season.

Pompey sub Nugent, got his fat arse of the bench and nearly scored from a tight angle, and as the Welshman desperately pushed forward Distin almost punished them with a run from the half-way line that was only halted by a fine tackle from Roger Johnson.

But it was our boys Pompey's day as for once the favourites justified their tag in this season's unpredictable FA Cup. To their credit, many Cardiff supporters stayed inside the stadium to see Pompey lift the Cup before they left to weigh up their sheep shagging options later that evening.

Portsmouth: James, Johnson, Campbell, Distin, Hreidarsson, Utaka (Nugent 69), Pedro Mendes (Diop 78), Diarra, Muntari, Kranjcar, Kanu (Baros 87).
Subs Not Used: Ashdown, Pamarot.
Attendance: 89,874 (at Wembley)