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Match Report
Portsmouth v Fulham 01 May 2004
PORTSMOUTH SAFE AFTER DRAW
Portsmouth 1-1 Fulham
Simon Fudge reports
Portsmouth have secured their Premiership status after being held to a 1-1 draw by Fulham at Fratton Park on Saturday afternoon.
Both goals came in the last 10 minutes of the match, with Pompey striker Yakubu Aiyegbeni putting the home side in front before American international Brian McBride equalised five minutes later for a share of the points.
The result guarantees Portsmouth's stay in the top-flight while Fulham remain on course to take a European spot at the season's end.
A sunny Fratton Park saw both sides cancel each other out for much of the opening half, with Pompey looking the more likely to score.
On-loan striker Tresor Lomana Lua Lua caused Fulham's backline all sorts of problems - hitting the side-netting early on.
With Pompey trying to get forward, Chris Coleman's side did well to frustrate their hosts with resolute defending at the back and in midfield.
The visitors failed to really threaten the Portsmouth goal in the first half, with Luis Boa Morte rolling a weak shot right at Shaka Hislop.
Fulham keeper Edwin van der Sar nearly made a major blunder after he failed to collect a long Nigel Quashie ball in the box, but defender Alain Goma was there to clear the danger.
Lua Lua caused problems with some mazy runs from the right and he did well to find Yakubu with a byline cross, but the Nigerian striker squandered his chance by heading over.
Harry Redknapp was forced to make a change to his backline midway through the half, as Linvoy Primus came off with an injury and was replaced by youngster Richard Duffy.
The last say on the first half was left to Lua Lua, who had two good chances to break the deadlock before half time.
The DR Congo international should have done better when he chested down a long ball forward before woefully rolling his shot across goal.
He soon did much better with a sharp strike from his wide right position that forced Dutchman van der Sar into an important diving save at the near post, as both sides went into the break goalless.
Fulham were non-existent as an attacking force in the opening period, but they started the second half in inspired fashion and were unlucky not to score.
From the kick-off, Junichi Inamoto fed Sean Davis and his brilliant first time shot rapped off a post and away to safety to stun the home crowd.
Portsmouth soon replied and after good work from Alexei Smertin, Yakubu was inexplicably unable to hit the target from a couple of yards out after the loose ball fell to the African marksman.
On-loan Smertin was showing some good surges forward and the Russian international soon tested van der Sar with a strike right at the Holland custodian.
Both sides had chances as the half went on, but it was not until the last ten minutes that the Fratton Park crowd would see goals, with Yakubu putting the home side in front with a poacher's strike.
Matthew Taylor made a run down the right before hitting a shot that van der Sar failed to hold and the Nigerian was there to slot the loose ball home.
However, that lead lasted just five minutes as Fulham substitute McBride took a Sean Davis knock-down before setting up a fine left-footed strike that beat Hislop at his low right-hand corner to make it 1-1.
The match finished in more frenetic fashion, with chances at both ends, but the point was enough to satisfy both sides on the day.
Report From  , For full report and stats, click here.
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