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Portsmouth 1-2 Aston Villa: Nathan Delfouneso's late winner keeps Villans' slim hopes of Champions League alive
O'Neill's side still in with a shout of fourth...just
18 Apr 2010 18:00:00
By Andy Street
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Martin O'Neill has only this weekend spoken out about his perceived fears of rotation in the wake of speculation that James Milner and Ashley Young could be the subject of bids this summer, and the Villa boss again showed his preference for a settled side by picking the same team that drew with Everton midweek. Avram Grant however made a slew of changes from his Portsmouth side that battled to a valiant midweek goalless draw against Wigan, with the 18-year-old youth team defender Leonard Sowah making his first senior start and David James, Aaron Mokoena, Hassan Yebda, Kanu and Kevin Prince Boateng all back in the side too.
Pompey, whose eventful season reached an unlikely and fairytale climax with the stirring extra-time victory over Tottenham a mere matter of hours after their relegation from the Premier League was confirmed last weekend, could have been forgiven for having their eyes on the showpiece Wembley final with Chelsea next month when Aston Villa visited the south coast this afternoon. And while it was the West Midlands side, still pursuing a European place, that started the stronger Portsmouth certainly didn't perform like a team with nothing to play for. However, after a bright start from Villa it was a controversial piece of officiating that led to an early opening of the scoresheet.
O'Neill, whose Aston Villa side have been on the receiving end of some poor refereeing decisions in 2010, again had reason to feel aggrieved after a mere nine minutes of the match at Fratton Park. As the ball was played into Gabriel Agbonlahor deep into the Portsmouth half the England striker appeared to be clattered from behind by Aaron Mokoena. However referee Lee Probert waved play on allowing Kanu to break with the loose ball. His slide rule pass through to Anthony Vanden Borre was perfectly measured and the Belgian was able to lay the ball back across the box. Kevin Prince Boateng's delightful stepover from the cross allowed the ball to run through to Michael Brown whose carefully placed side footed finish left Brad Friedel rooted to the spot
However, despite the early setback Aston Villa didn't allow the early goal to unsettle their bright start, and after 13 minutes Stewart Downing's positive run and cut in from the right hand flank saw the England left winger rifle in a shot from 25 yards. His compatriot David James was, however, more than a match for the shot and he comfortably gathered the ball to his left hand side.
Only a minute later, Gabriel Agbonlahor's foray down the left hand flank saw him break into the box and attempt a cross shot that found John Carew a mere five yards from goal. However with the goal gaping the big Norwegian centre forward somehow contrived to smash the ball into a grateful David James - a lucky escape for Portsmouth. Recently relegated Pompey were not to be so lucky however after 15 minutes when a hesitant Marc Wilson allowed John Carew to break the Portsmouth offside trap. This time the Holte End favourite made absolutely no mistake, cutting inside the hapless Wilson who had managed to track back, before firing into the top left hand corner, giving David James absolutely no chance.
Things could have got worse for Wilson after 19 minutes when he deflected a cross from Aston Villa's right hand flank goalwards. The rookie defender, however, was fortunate to see his touch merely direct the ball onto his own post.
Martin O'Neill's anger at not being awarded a penalty in the FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea has received a great deal of media attention, but he could count his own side fortunate not to concede a penalty themselves after 31 minutes, when Richard Dunne appeared to foul Boateng without getting any of the ball.
Another curious and somewhat staggering decision from Probert came after 36 minutes when Agbonlahor, having a very bright first half, broke through the Portsmouth back four. Vanden Borre appeared to lock arms with the Villa forward before hauling him down but Probert oddly enough saw fit to award the decision Portsmouth's way.
It was, however, third time lucky in terms of penalty appeals after 39 minutes when a clumsy piece of control from Papa Bouba Diop inside the Portsmouth box allowed the ball to run to John Carew. Diop then compounded his initial error by tripping the Villa forward. This time Marriner had no choice but to point to the spot for the most obvious penalty of the lot. Carew, scorer of six penalties from six attempts, and yet to miss a spot kick in England, stepped up with most people expecting him to double his tally for the day. David James, however, had other ideas and with the England coach Fabio Capello in attendance, was more than a match for Carew's powerful but poorly directed spot kick. England fans will surely hope that James' sharpness from the spot is a pre-cursor to this summer's events should the Three Lions yet again end up in the lottery of a penalty shoot out.
A thoroughly entertaining and open first half drew to a close after Michael Brown's scuffed shot wide with the scores level although O'Neill could perhaps count his side somewhat unfortunate to still be on level terms.
The second half started in much the same manner as the first, with Villa looking by far the brighter of the two sides. O'Neill's side peppered the Portsmouth box with crosses from both wings but it wasn't until 53 minutes and James Milner's speculative long range effort, easily gathered by David James, that the half saw its first chance of note.
Some excellent wing play from Ashley Young just a minute later culminated in the lively wide man putting a glorious cross in for Gabriel Agbonlahor. With the goal gaping the Villa forward's header should have been an easy goal, but he could only find the centre of the Portsmouth goal where James was able to easily gather.
Young was again involved after an hour, when he spotted James Milner unmarked on the edge of the Portsmouth 'D'. His ball found Milner whose rasping drive brought a competent if somewhat routine save from the Pompey and England 'keeper.
Avram Grant made his first change of the day after 65 minutes as veteran striker Kanu was replaced by man-in-the-mask Tommy Smith, who recently had his nose broken by Daniel Sturridge. Shortly after Bouba Diop thundered a shot in from fully 30 yards, but never looked like troubling the Aston Villa goal.
John Carew was replaced on 71 minutes by Emile Heskey, who had scored on his previous three visits to Fratton Park. Carew left the field with a goal to his name but could conceivably have had three and would have been disappointed not to have gone home with the match ball.
Portsmouth looking visibly tired in the second half struggled to muster anything of note on the Aston Villa goal, but Tommy Smith had a rare header on goal after 76 minutes from Bouba Diop's flick-on.
Lee Probert again had a decision to make after 78 minutes when Stilyan Petrov was played through on goal, rounded David James and went to ground. Replays suggested that the Bulgarian midfielder was clipped by James but the Villa man certainly played for the contact, and on balance Probert appeared to make the right decision.
Martin O'Neill decided to throw Nathan Delfouneso into the action on 80 minutes, replacing Gabriel Agbonlahor, and within two minutes the substitution had paid dividends. Ashley Young's quick free-kick down the left flank found James Milner in plenty of space and he wasted no time in delivering a ball into the near post. Emile Heskey was quickest to react and flick the cross on, and Delfouneso was left free at the far post to volley the ball into the roof of the net for his first ever Premier League goal.
There were few attacking forays of note for Pompey in the last ten minutes and Villa held on to secure a much needed and thoroughly deserved three points to keep their pursuit of fourth place alive.
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