Pompey End League Cup Run

Pompey March On
By Chris O'Brien
November 9 2004

City's League Cup dream is over following a 2-0 home defeat at the hands of Portsmouth, with 13,555 watching the fourth round tie at Ninian Park. A brace from Nigerian forward Yakubu was more than enough to send Harry Redknapp's side into the quarter-finals.

Cardiff City's dreams of reaching the quarter-finals of the Football League Cup were squashed as Portsmouth came away from Ninian Park with a 2-0 victory, with the manner of the win all too comfortable considering what was at stake. Yakubu's brace proved more than enough for the Premiership side.

Lennie Lawrence was forced to fiddle with his backline, with Darren Williams cup-tied for the fourth round tie. Tony Vidmar was brought in at right-back after completing a suspension following dismissal away at AFC Bournemouth in the last round/ The Australian, who with two red cards as the worst disciplinary record of any player in the competition, was joined by Danny Gabbidon, James Collins and Chris Barker in defence.

In midfield, Gary O'Neil was recalled by Pompey earlier in the week and was evidently missed. However, the England under-21 skipper picked up a hamstring injury at Millmoor on the weekend so was not fit enough to play against the club he has played so well for in recent weeks. Willie Boland replaced the youngsters, alongside skipper Graham Kavanagh in the middle of the park. Joe Ledley and Jobi McAnuff continued on the flanks, with wing play a key part of City's recent mini-revival.

More to follow...

In Tuesday evening's other League Cup encounters a young Arsenal side beat Everton, who are dipping in form, 3-1 at Highbury as their North London rivals pulled off an impressive 3-0 win at Burnley in what was Martin Jol's first game in charge. The shock of the night was at Vicarage Road where Watford hammered relegation-threatened Southampton 5-2 - a result the travelling Pompey masses would certainly have enjoyed!

Full Time - Cardiff City 0-2 Portsmouth FC
Attendance - 13,555

Cardiff City: Warner, Vidmar, Gabbidon, Collins, Barker, McAnuff (Jerome 69), Boland, Kavanagh (Bullock 69), Ledley, Parry (Fleetwood 83), Lee.
Substitutes Not Used: Weston, Alexander.

Portsmouth: Ashdown, Griffin, De Zeeuw, Stefanovic, Unsworth, Mezague, Cisse (Pulis 90), Faye (Hughes 79), Taylor, Yakubu (Fuller 62), LuaLua.
Substitutes Not Used: Hislop, Buxton.