Barnsley

0-1

Cardiff City

 

Ledley 9

The FA Cup sponsored by E.ON
Semi-Finals
4pm, Sunday 6 April 2008
Wembley Stadium
Winning clubs will receive £900,000 from The FA



Cardiff City match-winner Joe Ledley believes his side will face Premier League high-fliers Portsmouth with confidence when the two meet in next month's FA Cup Final.

Ledley scored the only goal with a ninth-minute volley in their Semi-Final against Barnsley at Wembley to book a return trip on May 17 when they will face Harry Redknapp's Portsmouth.

"It is brilliant for Cardiff Football Club," said Ledley. 


"It is a great season for us and we go into the final with confidence and we will try and win it.

"I think we deserved to win the game. We defended well and kept a good clean sheet."

The Welsh international's goal was finely executed and he believes that it's amongst the best, and certainly most important, goals he has ever scored in his career.

"It was a difficult ball coming down and I just hit it and the luck was there and it went in," he added.

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, who was a losing FA Cup finalist in 2002 with Chelsea, was overjoyed to be returning to the showpiece event.

"I have been with Chelsea to a cup final,but this is unbelievable," he said.

"This is a little bit more special because we are a Championship team and we are playing good football and getting to The FA Cup final.

"Portsmouth are a good team but hopefully on the day we can make it a good game."

The 36-year-old Dutchman acknowledges his best days are behind him but still feels he can contribute a great deal to Cardiff's cause.

"There is still a little bit of football in there," he added.

"I got a little bit tired at the end but you have to keep on going."