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Match Report
Aston Villa v Porstmouth 04 March 2006
Villa saved by Pompey's finishing
Aston Villa 1 - 0 Portsmouth
Aston Villa continued Portsmouth's dismal away form with a 1-0 victory at Villa Park, Milan Baros scoring the only goal of the game.
Baros' goal ten minutes before the break was the difference between the two sides but Pompey will go back to Fratton Park wishing they had made more of their first-half opportunities.
Villa welcomed back a number of their defensive stars for the game but Portsmouth's poor finishing was the real reason why Thomas Sorensen kept a rare home clean sheet.
Gary O'Neil was most guilty of spurning opportunities but Tresor Lomana Lua Lua and Svetoslav Todorov will both be hoping they bring their shooting boots out next time.
Chances came thick and fast in the first half. However, for all their possession, Portsmouth failed to trouble Sorensen too many times.
Villa, meanwhile, were playing mainly on the break, taking advantage of the gaps left by the forward-minded full backs of Portsmouth and Kevin Phillips was guilty off missing a hat-full of chances.
Having been put through on goal by Steven Davis, the former Southampton man ran unchallenged towards goal but as he attempted an early shot, Dean Kiely rushed out to block the chance.
Another break almost let in Villa again, but this time Milner's cross was cut-out by Andy Griffin before it reached Phillips at the back post.
Gary O'Neil was the main outlet for Pompey in the first 45 and on another day he could have had a first-half hat-trick, the Portsmouth captain had one effort deflected narrowly wide and was denied twice by Sorensen from close range.
Trickery from Lua Lua dazzled the Villa defence leaving a huge gap for O'Neil to race into the box but the ball bounced up on the midfielder and he could only shoot towards Sorensen who tipped the ball over the bar.
The pair linked up again ten minutes later but this time Villa's Danish goalkeeper had to pull off a low save to deny the England Under-21 international.
The hosts took control of the remainder of the first half with both Milner and Phillips going agonisingly close to opening the scoring, the latter seeing his attempted chip hit the outside of the post.
Villa finally took the lead on 36 minutes when an unmarked Baros made no mistake with a header from four yards out.
Milner's deep free kick from the left touchline flew past everybody and onto the head of Baros who was in yards of space and headed coolly past a helpless Kiely in the Portsmouth goal.
The Czech striker almost added his second just before the break but from a tight angle he could only send his shot over the bar after out-muscling O'Brien in the area.
The second half did not produce the action of the first, but Villa would have been very happy with the amount of possession they were allowed by the Portsmouth midfield, the visitors never really having a period of pressure on the Villa goal with all their chances coming on the break.
Pompey's best chance of the entire second half came from Todorov whose shot was saved low by Sorensen whilst Lua Lua fired over from a tight angle.
At the other end, Villa had a glorious chance to finish Portsmouth off through Milner but a superb last-gasp challenge from Griffin took the ball from the feet of the on-loan midfielder who would have surely scored otherwise.
Milner flashed a shot across the face of goal with ten minutes to go before Lua Lua forced his way into the box only to fire a tame shot at Sorensen which summed up Pompey's day.
| Aston Villa | Team Name | Portsmouth | | 1 | Goals | 0 | | 5 | Shots on target ( Inc Goals ) | 4 | | 8 | Shots off Target (inc woodwork) | 4 | | 3 | Blocked Shots | 3 | | 16 | Corners Won | 10 | | 15 | Total Fouls Conceded | 15 | | 0 | Offsides | 4 | | 1 | Yellow Cards | 1 | | 0 | Red Cards | 0 | | 52% | Possession | 48% |
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