Portsmouth Football Club News

Second-half goals by Chris Eagles and Carlos Tevez downed Pompey at the Abuja Stadium in Nigeria. Jermain Defoe’s last-minute strike proved just a consolation for the Blues in the first game between two Premier League teams in west Africa. The Blues needed David James in form to stop Manchester United winning the pre-season friendly by a more comfortable margin. Pompey were without Kanu, Sol Campbell and Ben Sahar, who all suffered minor injuries in the 5-0 win over Kano Pillars, while Lassana Diarra also missed out with a knock. But otherwise Harry Redknapp fielded his strongest possible team against the Champions League and Premier League winners. The Pompey and Manchester United teams had been driven to the ground in convoy under police escort from Abuja’s Hilton Hotel. The atmosphere bordered on the manic with supporters cheering deliriously at their first sight of Manchester United’s players. A riot broke out about an hour before kick-off when hundreds of fans hurling lumps of concrete at police broke into the stadium. Police responded mercilessly with batons, beating back the intruders. People were led away covered in blood while concrete used as missiles lay strewn across the stadium concourse. But things were more memorable on the pitch before kick-off as Kanu, Wayne Rooney and Ben Foster paraded the FA Cup, Premier League trophy and Champions League trophy. Sir Alex Ferguson’s side should have taken the lead in the sixth minute when they were awarded a soft penalty after Glen Johnson collided with Fraizer Campbell. Tevez sent James the wrong way from the spot, but the referee ordered the penalty to be retaken because of encroachment. James guessed right the second time but did not need to make a save, the ball crashing off the bar to safety. United squandered another chance to take the lead midway through the first half. Eagles was the culprit, pouncing on a misplaced pass but shooting wide with James to beat. Eagles, playing wide on the left, had another chance after swapping passes with Mikael Silvestre, but side-footed straight at James. Peter Crouch and Pedro Mendes both saw long-range efforts fly wide as Pompey struggled to get in behind United’s defence. United were having no such trouble, however – their problem was beating James, as Campbell underlined when he skipped clear from Tevez’s pass but saw his shot saved by Pompey’s keeper. The Blues were forced to make a couple of changes shortly before half-time when first Noe Pamarot and then John Utaka limped off, with Linvoy Primus and Glen Little taking their place. Despite the almost universal support for United from the locals in the Abuja Stadium, they still appreciated any particular moments of inspiration by Pompey, cheering clever footwork by Niko Kranjcar and Johnson. Half Time: Pompey 0 Manchester United 0 Pompey began the second half brightly with Crouch shooting narrowly wide and Defoe testing Tomasz Kuszczak. But they went behind after 50 minutes when Primus, under pressure from Michael Carrick, could only clear as far as Eagles. This time the winger made no mistake, coolly beating James from 12 yards. Pompey had arguably their best chance yet when Defoe was brought down on the edge of the box. But the striker put his free-kick into the stands. United’s Nigerian fans got the second goal they craved when Tevez skipped outside substitute Djimi Traore and rasped a shot past James at his near post. Johnson then took a free-kick on the edge of the box for the Blues, but his effort mirrored Defoe’s, flying into the stands. United looked the more likely to score again, however, with James having to save smartly from Paul Scholes. Pompey’s 11 travelling fans were finally rewarded for their support when DEFOE cut inside and beat substitute keeper Ben Amos with a powerful shot in the 90th minute. But Harry Redknapp’s side were unable to find an equaliser. Pompey: James; Johnson, Pamarot (Primus 40), Distin, Hreidarsson (Traore 46); Utaka (Little 44), Diop (Mvuemba 66), Mendes (Davis 46), Kranjcar (Lauren 46); Defoe, Crouch Manchester United: Kuszczak (Amos 76); Neville, Evans (O’Shea 66), Vidic, Silvestre; Gibson, Carrick (Cathcart 66), Scholes, Eagles (Cleverley 79); Tevez (Giggs 66), Campbell

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