Portsmouth Football Club News

Both sides had chances in the opening 45 minutes of this FA Youth Cup fourth round clash at Fratton Park – but it was Manchester City who made the breakthrough late in the half. Pompey started brightly against the FA Youth Cup holders and enjoyed a couple of early half-chances. But it was the visitors who looked like opening the scoring on 11 minutes when Robbie Mak rolled a shot inches wide after latching onto Alex Nimely’s through ball. Nimely’s cross was then headed across goal by Ahmad Benali, but there were no orange shirts to anywhere near and Ryan Woodford was able to clear. The Blues were handed a great opportunity on 23 minutes when Reece Wabara slipped in the area, allowing Gael Nlundulu to advance on goal. But referee Warren Atkin bizarrely decided that Wabara had been fouled and awarded the visitors a free-kick. At the other end, Christopher Chantler should have scored when Liam O’Brien failed to claim a cross and the ball fell at the feet of the Citizen’s winger. But he was twice blocked by brave blocks on the line – first by Woodford and then seconds later by Tero Mantyla. It was the visitors who were looking more ambitious as the half reached its conclusion but resolute Blues defending was making it difficult for them to test O’Brien. It looked as if the sides would be going in level at the break but on 44 minutes Dedryck Boyata rose highest in the area to guide Kieran Trippier’s free-kick into the bottom corner of the net. Pompey: O’Brien; Gregory, Woodford, Mantyla, Blackman; Hurst, Mahoto, Pack (c), Kilbey; Nlundulu, Cowan-Hall Subs: Smith, Hughes, Du Chattelier, Ciftci, Castles Man City: Clegg; Trippier (c), Boyata, Wabara, Cunningham; Benali, Ibrahim, Tutte, Chantler; Nimely, Mak Goals: Boyata 44 Subs: Johansen, Elabdellaoui, Redshaw, Guidetti, Tse Referee: Warren Atkin

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