Portsmouth

1-5

Arsenal

Sheringham 90

 

Henry 25, 50
Ljungberg 43, 57
Toure 45


FA Cup Sixth Round
Saturday 06 March

A breathtaking exhibition of devastating attacking football by Arsenal saw The FA Cup holders waltz into the Semi-Finals of this year's competition at the expense of Portsmouth.

Arsene Wenger's side were just awesome. It was a performance of the very highest calibre with each and every player contributing to a display full of imagination, speed, skill and intelligence.

Thierry Henry and Freddie Ljungberg both scored first-half goals before Kolo Toure made it 3-0 just before half-time.

Henry and Ljungberg then each scored a second goal early in the second period, before substitute Teddy Sheringham scored a late consolation goal for the home side.

Arsenal made their intentions clear in the very first minute of the match, when Spanish sensation Jose Antonio Reyes volleyed a snap left-footed shot against the bar.

Portsmouth, though, were well in the match in those opening moments - Mornar and Berkovic looking bright - but, even so, it still seemed just a matter of time before their yellow-shirted opponents would open the scoring.

The Gunners' ball-retention, their swagger and their amazing imagination going forward eventually enabled them to find a way through the Portsmouth defensive ranks.

Snatching possession from a poorly placed pass, the in-form Edu passed to Ljungberg and in a flash the Swede played a ball into the home side's penalty area.

Henry and Reyes made dangerous runs into the box and though Petri Pasanen managed to block Ljungberg's pass to Reyes with a sliding challenge, the ball fell perfectly for Henry, who took one touch before dispatching a firm left-footed drive past Hislop.

Arsenal's brilliance was by now almost as blinding as their shirts under Fratton Park's floodlights as they began to dominate proceedings.

Edu forced a great save from Hislop when he shot low at goal from seven yards out. The chance came after what must have been more than thirty passes, which suddenly was given a cutting thrust when Ljungberg passed to Henry.

As Portsmouth desperately searched for a foothold in the match, Arsenal went up another gear and in the last few minutes of the first half effectively finished the match with two more goals.

After another spellbinding period of possession, Edu caressed a sumptuous pass into the path of Ljungberg, who curled a shot past Hislop and into the bottom right corner of the goal.

A minute into injury time, Kolo Toure punished the ragged Portsmouth defence for their failure to clear a corner. As the ball fell loose, the centre-back pulled off a neat turn to fire a low shot past Hislop.  Poor Pompey were struggling.

Just four minutes into the second period Arsenal's fourth goal destroyed any hopes that Harry Redknapp's side might have had of a Manchester City-style comeback.

Reyes picked the ball up on the left and played it 20 yards to Ljungberg.

The midfielder, with his back to goal, laid the ball off first time to Henry then turned and ran towards goal, looking for a return ball.

The French striker had other ideas though and shot first time, curling the ball just past Ljungberg's heels and into the bottom corner.

It was a remarkable goal, taking everyone by surprise. Henry's quick thinking and the fact that he struck the shot so early utterly deceived Hislop, who couldn't quite reach out to stop the effort - no wonder he is considered by so many to be the world's best player.

Seven minutes later Arsenal were grateful to a little slice of luck in scoring their fifth, when Ljungberg's shot deflected off Primus past Hislop.

Late in the match Pompey striker Yakubu headed against the bar before Matthew Taylor hit a post.

In the dying seconds substitute Teddy Sheringham finally found a way past Jens Lehmann but by then Arsenal had shown everyone watching the way that football should be played.

If Arsenal continue to play in such an irresistible fashion then their dream of winning a Treble would seem to be on the cards. As the visitors walked triumphantly off the Fratton Park pitch, the home fans gave them a standing ovation. It was fully deserved.

Team Details

Portsmouth: Hislop, Pasanen, Primus, De Zeeuw, Taylor, Smertin, Faye, Quashie (Hughes, 70), Berkovic (Stone, 45), Mornar (Sheringham, 77), Yakubu
Subs Not Used: Wapenaar, Harper.

Arsenal: Lehmann, Lauren, Campbell, Toure, Cole, Ljungberg (Bentle, 72), Vieira (Clichy, 72), Edu, Silva, Reyes, Henry (Kanu, 72)
Subs Not Used: Taylor, Cygan.

Attendance: 20,137
Referee: J Winter (Cleveland).