Nwankwo Kanu gives Portsmouth the lead from close range.
Saturday, 17 May 2008.
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Cardiff City |
0-1 |
Portsmouth |
|
|
|
Kanu 37 |
The FA Cup sponsored by E.ON
The Final
3pm, Saturday 17 May 2008
Wembley Stadium
Winning clubs will receive £1,000,000 from The FA

|
90+4 |
Mike Dean blows the final whistle and Portsmouth have won The FA Cup for the first time in 69 years. Harry Redknapp wins his first trophy as a manager. |
|
90 |
The fourth official indicates there will be four minutes of added time, while the crowd is a record for the new stadium - 89,874. |
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(88 minutes) Lassana Diarra is booked for a push. Peter Enckelman drives the free-kick into the Portsmouth area. |
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87' Kanu comes off to be replaced by Milan Baros. |
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87' Gavin Rae comes off to be replaced by Trevor Sinclair. |
|
84 |
Sylvain Distin makes a gut-bursting run through Cardiff's midfield and defence, before seeing his shot go inches wide under the attentions of Roger Johnson. |
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78' Pedro Mendes comes off to be replaced by Papa Boupa Diop. |
|
75 |
Ramsey picks up the ball on the halfway line and looks to run at the defence, before overhitting his pass which runs through to David James. |
|
72 |
David Nugent is almost an instant hero as he races away before hitting a stinging volley from a tight angle, which Enckelman does well to fist wide. |
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71' Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink comes off to be replaced by Steven Thompson |
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69' David Nugent comes on for John Utaka |
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64 |
Lassana Diarra stretches to reach a Glen Johnson through ball, only to then foul Roger Johnson as the defender clears his lines. |
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62' Aaron Ramsey comes on to replace Peter Whittingham. |
|
58 |
John Utaka is hurt and requires treatment, while Cardiff City have Aaron Ramsey stripped and ready to enter the fray. Could it be the teenager that makes the difference? |
|
56 |
Kranjcar earns a free-kick after Loovens pulls him back, and moments later Pompey have a corner. Enckelman punches clear and Muntari goes close with a powerful strike. |
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(53 minutes) Niko Kranjcar is booked for a trip on Peter Whittingham as the midfielder breaks past the halfway line. |
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51 |
Kanu gives away a free-kick for backing into Johnson, who lands awkwardly. Diarra launches a terrific counter attack moments later, only for Loovens to block Kanu's effort. |
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48 |
Lassana Diarra wins a free-kick in the Cardiff half, and Glen Johnson fires it into the box but Loovens heads clear. |
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46 |
Joe Ledley forces a throw-in deep in the Portsmouth half, but it bounces over both Rae and McPhail as it drops in the area. |
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Well here we go then - the second half live from Wembley. |
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45+1 |
David James is unable to take in a cross, before Glenn Loovens puts the ball into the net only for the goal to be disallowed for handball. It is the final action of the first half. |
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(45 minutes) Hermann Hreidarsson argues with Mike Dean about the award of a free-kick, and is the first man in the book. |
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44 |
Joe Ledley hurts his ankle in a challenge with Glen Johnson. From the resulting free-kick, Cardiff earn a dangerous free-kick further up the field. |
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39 |
Cardiff City look to get a quick reply as Paul Parry races clear, instead of going for goal the forward crosses to the back post but Gavin Rae is unable to hit the target from a narrow angle. |
|
38 |
Pompey fans find their voice as they go ahead in The FA Cup Final for the first time in 69 years. |
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37 |
GOAL! The man who put Portsmouth into The Final, puts them in front again at Wembley. John Utaka drives a near post cross that Enckelman fumbles, and the predatory Kanu taps in from two yards. |
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34 |
Glen Johnson again goes past Capaldi before delivering a terrific cross that Enckelman does well to punch clear. |
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33 |
Hasselbaink travels a long way before his cutback is cut out by Distin on the penalty spot. Portsmouth then attack only for Kanu to drag his shot well wide of the mark. |
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30 |
Cardiff continue to look the more likely to score, creating a number of promising chances. Although with the attacking talent on show with Portsmouth, they are liable to create something from nothing. |
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28 |
Roger Johnson is on the end of another Whittingham free-kick, and though unmarked this time, he heads narrowly wide of David James' goal. |
|
24 |
Cardiff win a free-kick right on the edge of Portsmouth's box. Whittingham and Parry combine for a well-worked free-kick, but Parry's strike is blocked well by the Pompey backline. |
|
22 |
Kanu misses an absolute sitter. He shows great skill to spin Loovens, take the ball past Enckelman before hitting the post with the goal gaping. |
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21 |
John Utaka gives away a free-kick as he collides first with Tony Capaldi and then Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink. |
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20 |
Peter Whittingham arrows a deep cross to the far post, but Roger Johnson is unable to excape the attentions of Sol Campbell and the ball is deflected out for a corner. |
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16 |
As Portsmouth edge towards Cardiff's goal, cries of handball are ignored before Diarra hits a wayward effort with his left foot. |
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15 |
Enckelman almost presents Portsmouth with a glorious chance, as he palms a Muntari cross onto the head of Sylvain Distin. The former Man City defender can only head it across goal. |
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13 |
Parry is put through by Ledlely and goes close as David James proves his worth with a fine save. From the resulting throw-in Whittingham's effort is deflected agonisingly wide |
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10 |
Glen Johnson finds space on the right flank, going past Capaldi before lofting the ball to the back post, but there's no one there. |
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8 |
Sol Campbell stretches out a leg to prevent Paul Parry breaking through the Pompey defence. |
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7 |
Hreidarsson clears a looping corner from Joe Ledley, and though Portsmouth threaten a quick counter attack Cardiff snuff out the danger. |
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4 |
Pedro Mendes, a surprise inclusion for Redknapp's side, is enjoying a lot of possession in the middle of the pitch, but Portsmouth are yet to trouble Enckelman. |
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2 |
Kanu and Roger Johnson exchange words in the Pompey box, Mike Dean talks to both players before restarting the game with an attacking throw for Cardiff. |
|
1 |
Diarra wins the first free-kick as Peter Whittingham forces the Frenchman over midway through Cardiff's half. |
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Portsmouth kick-off in The FA Cup Final 2008, Mike Dean sounds his whistle and Kanu and Diarra get the first touches of the game. |
Statistics
|
Cardiff City |
0 |
Goals |
1 |
Portsmouth |
|
|
10 |
Attempts |
10 |
|
|
|
3 |
On target |
4 |
|
|
|
6 |
Corners |
7 |
|
|
|
22 |
Free-kicks for |
9 |
|
|
|
1 |
Off-sides |
1 |
|
|
|
0 |
Bookings |
3 |
|
|
|
0 |
Red Cards |
0 |
|
Teams
Cardiff City
1 Peter Enckelman, 2 Kevin McNaughton, 3 Tony Capaldi, 4 Gavin Rae (18 Trevor Sinclair 87), 6 Glenn Loovens, 7 Peter Whittingham (30 Aaron Ramsey 62), 10 Stephen McPhail, 11 Paul Parry, 12 Roger Johnson, 16 Joe Ledley, 36 Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink (20 Steven Thompson 71)
Subs
13 Michael Oakes, 5 Darren Purse
Portsmouth
1 David James, 5 Glen Johnson, 6 Lassana Diarra, 7 Hermann Hreidarsson, 11 Sulley Muntari, 15 Sylvain Distin, 17 John Utaka (10 David Nugent 69), 19 Niko Kranjcar, 23 Sol Campbell, 27 Nwankwo Kanu (9 Milan Baros 87), 30 Pedro Mendes (8 Papa Boupa Diop 78)
Substitutes Not Used
21 Jamie Ashdown, 16 Noe Pamarot
Attendance: 89,874
Match Officials
Referee: Mike Dean (Cheshire FA)
Assistant Referees: Trevor Massey (Manchester FA) & Martin Yerby (Kent FA)
Fourth Official: Chris Foy (Liverpool FA)
Kit Colours (Decided by a coin toss)
Cardiff: Black shirts with yellow trim, black shorts with yellow trim, black socks with yellow trim
Portsmouth: Blue shirts, blue shorts, blue socks
Dressing Rooms and Supporters
Cardiff: West
Portsmouth: East
Both clubs have been allocated 25,000 tickets each
Ticket Prices (for ticket information click here)
£95, £80, £60, £35
Concessions for 16 and under and over-60s: £10 reduction on all tickets
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