Crisis club Portsmouth stunned Tottenham Hotspur with a 2-0 extra-time win as they reached their second FA Cup final in three years at Wembley on Sunday, just a day after being relegated from the Premier League.
Portsmouth, the 2008 FA Cup winners when now Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp was their manager, will face double chasers Chelsea — the team Pompey boss Avram Grant managed when they lost the 2008 Champions League final to Manchester United — in the May 15 final at Wembley.
Frederic Piquionne, on-loan from French club Lyon, scored from close range in the ninth minute of extra-time following former Spurs player Kevin-Prince Boateng’s header on from a Mark Wilson free-kick as Tottenham defender Michael Dawson slipped on the much criticized Wembley pitch.
Spurs thought they had equalized two minutes later, but former Pompey striker Peter Crouch’s effort was ruled out by referee Alan Wiley for a foul by Niko Kranjcar, another former Portsmouth player, on England goalkeeper David James.
Pompey’s win was sealed when Boateng scored from the penalty spot with four minutes of extra-time left after striker Aruna Dindane was brought down by Wilson Palacios.
“It’s superb, we deserved the win,” Porstmouth keeper James told ITV. “We played very well throughout the team. Look what it means to Pompey, it’s fantastic.”
Redknapp couldn’t understand why Crouch’s “goal” was chalked off, but praised his former club.
“It wasn’t our day,” he told reporters. “That’s how it goes. We had a good goal disallowed, but full credit to Portsmouth.”
Redknapp though slammed the state of the Wembley playing surface.
“The pitch is a disgrace. I’m not using it as an excuse, it’s the same for both sides, but how can you play on a pitch you can’t stand up on? It’s farcical, unreal,” he said.
Portsmouth, bottom of the Premier League and with acknowledged debts of more than £76 million (US$117 million), kicked off knowing West Ham’s win over Sunderland on Saturday meant they would been relegated.
Tottenham, bidding to win the FA Cup for the first time since 1991, came into the match having strolled to a 2-0 league win over Pompey last month.
Portsmouth looked a threat on the counterattack and had an excellent chance in the 37th minute, only for Piquionne, one-on-one with Heurelho Gomes, to see his shot saved by the Brazilian’s left leg.
James though had to be at full stretch to palm away one-handed a shot from Tom Huddlestone.
Pompey continued to threaten on the break and when the quick Dindane crossed accurately to the equally speedy Piquionne, his fellow striker should have done better than head straight at Gomes.
Soon afterwards Spurs claimed a penalty after Pompey’s Steve Finnan appeared to handle in the area, but Wiley dismissed the appeals.
And with 20 minutes of the second half left, Mokoena cleared off the line from Crouch, who later grazed the far post with a header.
Crouch could have scored in stoppage-time when he tried to turn in Gareth Bale’s shot, but James made an excellent block from point-blank range.
Bologna on Thursday advanced past Empoli to reach their first Coppa Italia final in more than half a century. Thijs Dallinga’s 87th-minute header earned Bologna a 2-1 win and his side advanced 5-1 on aggregate. Giovanni Fabbian opened the scoring for Bologna with a header seven minutes in. Then Viktor Kovalenko equalized for Empoli in the 30th minute by turning in a rebound to finish off a counterattack. Bologna won the first leg 3-0. In the May 14 final in Rome, Bologna are to face AC Milan, who eliminated city rivals Inter 4-1 on aggregate following a 3-0 win on Wednesday. Bologna last reached the
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