Pompey Penalty Pierces Title Hopes

Pompey 2 - 0 United
By David Hobbs
October 30 2004

Manchester United's efforts of ending Arsenal's unbeaten league run of 49 games last Sunday have proven virtually pointless as The Red Devils dropped 3 points at Fratton Park earlier today. David Unsworth's penalty and Yakubu's shot were enough to take maximum points.

Pompey Penalty Pierces Title Hopes

Portsmouth 2
Unsworth (53, pen), Yakubu (71)

Manchester United 0

Manchester United's efforts of ending Arsenal's unbeaten league run of 49 games last Sunday have proven virtually pointless as The Red Devils dropped 3 points at Fratton Park earlier today.

Penalties and what it takes to be awarded a penalty have been the hot topic on almost every football magazine program following United's soft penalty at Old Trafford last week, but were forced to taste their own medicine following Gabriel Heinze's tackle on Ricardo Fuller that ened up in David Unsworth converting past Roy Carroll.

Nigerian international forward Yakubu, who previously scored against United side in the Champions League for former club Maccabi Haifa, added to United's woes courtesy of a deflected shot 18 minutes later.

Sir Alex Ferguson decided to keep Phil Neville, a commanding presence during the Arsenal victory, in the central midfield role whilst skipper Roy Keane could only manage a place on the bench. Keane has been missing for a few weeks due to a flu virus.

Ferguson's counterpart Harry Redknapp deemed it tactically-relevant to field an attacking 4-3-3 formation with trio Lua-Lua, Kamara and Yakubu leading the frontline.

However, Diomansy Kamara had to force Redknapp to change his promising system due to an injury niggle that forced Kamara to be substitute half an hour into the game.  Ricardo Fuller replaced the Senegal striker.

United tried to continue to momentum that they picked up beating The Gunners last week but Pompey proved resilient, blocking everything that was thrown at them during the first half.

Wayne Rooney picked up a booking minutes before the interval after starting a tussle out of frustration with Nigel Quashie. 

Just 6 minutes into the second-period, Pompey broke the deadlock via the penalty spot following Gabriel Heinze's tackle on substitute Ricardo Fuller.

Ulsterman Roy Carroll was beaten again 18 minutes after David Unsworth's penalty. Yakubu's deflected shot bobbled over Carroll and into the back of the net, much to the dismay of United's traveling supporters.

Despite bringing on duo Roy Keane and Louis Saha in replace of Alan Smith and Phil Neville, Sir Alex Ferguson or indeed his team couldn't mastermind a way back.

If it's anything of a consolation, Arsenal only managed to draw 2-2 against Southampton.

Final Score: Portsmouth 2 - 0 Manchester United
Att:

Portsmouth: Hislop, Primus, De Zeeuw, Stefanovic, Unsworth, Quashie, Faye, Berger (45 Mezague) , LuaLua, Kamara (32 Fuller), Yakubu. Unused Subs: Ashdown, Griffin, Cisse.

Manchester United: Carroll, Neville (81 Brown) , Ferdinand, Silvestre, Heinze, Ronaldo, Neville (65 Keane) , Scholes, Giggs, Rooney, Smith (65 Saha) Unused Subs: Miller, Ricardo.

Refereed By: N Barry

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

     

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