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Match Report
Portsmouth v Tottenham 18 October 2004
Classy Pompey claim victory
Portsmouth 1 - 0 Tottenham Hotspur
Portsmouth showed their class against a strong Tottenham side to pick up a 1-0 win courtesy of Yakubu Aiyegbeni's second half goal.
Some quality, sometimes last-ditch, and a cunning switch of players finally broke the deadlock that had rippled on at a terrific pace throughout.
Ricardo Fuller's arrival from the substitutes' bench pushed Tresor Lomano Lua Lua onto the right wing, and the former Newcastle man provided a simply sublime cross that Yakubu had the simple task of heading home from six yards.
Portsmouth had weathered a storm of pressure early in the second half after having the lion's share of the chances in the first period.
Eyal Berkovic had fluffed a good chance for Pompey just after the break, but Shaka Hislop was forced to save well from a deflected Jermain Defoe shot, and only a wonderful block by Andy Griffin denied Defoe from close range after Anthony Gardner's blockbusting header had cannoned back off the face of the far post.
But just when Portsmouth fans were beginning to worry that they would be ruing missed early chances, Lua Lua drifted in from the right flank and chipped a perfect ball for Yakubu to run on to and thump home past the superb Paul Robinson in the Spurs goal.
Pompey had dominated the opening half, but could not broach the Spurs goal, allowing their visitors to rally in the final minutes before the break.
A fine Portsmouth move saw Yakubu put through fortuitously courtesy of a kind deflection.
The powerful forward took his shot early, but Robinson did superbly well to get down and parry, watching gratefully as Eyal Berkovic fired over on the follow up.
Nigel Quashie had a tame effort easily claimed by Robinson, and Yakubu's first touch let him down after a fine dinked ball over the top by Lua Lua appeared to have put him clear through.
Lightning breaks from Portsmouth were making Spurs' normally resolute defence look pedestrian and a quick throw by Shaka Hislop released Yakuba superbly down the left.
He powered through a challenge and cut back for Berger, but for once the Czech midfielder could not convert on his left foot, his first touch allowing Noe Paramot to get a crucial touch that took the ball over the bar.
Lua Lua bizarrely chose to bring a ball down in the box when well placed to head at goal, and the tricky forward compounded his poor decision by flicking the ball away from onrushing strike partner Yakubu.
A well worked free-kick, Patrik Berkovic to Dejan Stefanovic whose header across drew a crucial intervention from England's first choice keeper, but Spurs were finally began to string a few passes together.
Defoe could, and perhaps should, have opened the scoring, when he combined superbly with Keane, but fluffed his shot, under pressure from Stefanovic.
It was a difficult night for Defoe, who got little service and will begin to fear that his run of not scoring will become a drought, but, in truth, he will meet less committed teams that Portsmouth.
Stefanovic and Griffin had to be on hand to block late efforts from Kanoute and Johnnie Jackson, but it would have been hard luck had they conceded at the death.
Pompey, who have gone from strugglers to a fine looking side in the past two years, are strong at Fratton Park - and they were good value for their win against a team that they can consider peers.
Report From  , For full report and stats, click here.
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