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Match Report
Portsmouth v Tottenham 26 December 2003
BERGER BRACE STUNS SPURS
Portsmouth 2-0 Tottenham
Two second-half strikes from Patrik Berger earned Portsmouth their first victory in seven games and their first in the league against Spurs since 1957 as the visitors finished well beaten.
Manager Harry Redknapp had hauled his players in for Christmas Day training and his policy reaped handsome dividends.
Czech striker Berger, returning from suspension, plundered the points with two long-range free-kicks after the hosts had looked the most likely to break the first-half deadlock.
Pompey striker Yakubu Aiyegbeny was proving a handful early on but he squandered a gilt-edged chance in the fifth minute after picking up Teddy Sheringham's mis-hit shot and blazing high over the bar from close range.
Johnnie Jackson tested Harald Wapenaar with a long-range shot but the Dutch keeper was equal to the task, while Yakubu nearly threaded his way through at the other end only to over-hit his flick-on.
Tottenham were seeing more of the ball but could make little headway against Pompey's solid back four, despite the best efforts of Stephane Dalmat who was proving a real menace down the right.
Redknapp's men were finding themselves squeezed out in the middle of the pitch, however, with Gustavo Poyet and Ledley King getting the better of Alexei Smertin and Tim Sherwood.
Smertin fired a well-positioned free-kick wide of the right post in the 24th minute and Sherwood then nearly found Teddy Sheringham, but the former England striker did not have the legs to meet his team-mate's ball.
Pompey were enjoying their best spell of the first half with de Zeeuw seeing his header cleared off the line by Stephen Carr while Sheringham's follow-up was kept out by the diving Kasey Keller.
But their attacking ambition was hampered by some dreadful passing which saw the ball given away on several occasions, letting Spurs off the hook when the visitors' goal should have come under sustained fire.
Robbie Keane forced a fine save from Wapenaar in the 42nd minute while Smertin's long-range effort saw Keller palm the ball away, and Sherwood then went close moments later.
Berger's 20-yard free kick sailed inches wide of the right post as Pompey started the second half strongly and moments later Yakubu flashed a wild header into touch.
The home side could not be denied in the 52nd minute, though, as Berger lined up a central free-kick some 35 yards out and smashed it home into the bottom left corner, beyond the reach of Keller.
Pompey were visibly lifted by Berger's goal and they began attacking with more purpose as Spurs were forced onto the back foot, with Yakubu slotting the ball home only for referee Steve Dunn to rule off-side.
The second arrived in the 68th minute when Berger stepped up for yet another free-kick, this time crashing a blistering drive from just outside the area into the top of the goal.
Sherwood was stretchered off in the 79th minute to add to Redknapp's lengthy injury list but, with the game already won, there was still time for Pompey to create one more opening with Yakubu missing a one-on-one with Keller.
Report From  , For full report and stats, click here.
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