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Match Report
Portsmouth v Liverpool 30 January 2006 (FA Cup)
Nervous Reds see off Pompey
Portsmouth 1 - 2 Liverpool
Liverpool were pushed all the way by a dogged Portsmouth side before coming through 2-1 in the FA Cup fourth round.
Two goals at the end of the first half seemed to have killed the tie as a contest, but Harry Redknapp's side came out fighting and in the end were unlucky not to earn at least a replay.
In a scrappy opening Pompey were determined not to let Liverpool dictate play, and dished out a few meaty challenges early on.
The Reds were not allowed to settle, and looked a shadow of the team that has been playing such attractive flowing football in recent months.
The home side were little better, but Pedro Mendes did test Jose Reina with a well struck volley from outside the area.
The game eventually came to life ten minutes before half time, when a spot kick was awarded against Dejan Stefanovic after the ball bounced up and struck the defender on the hand during a penalty area scramble.
Portsmouth were entitled to feel hard done by, but Steven Gerrard was in no mood for sympathy as he coolly dispatched his penalty into the bottom corner in the 36th minute.
If Harry Redknapp's men were disappointed to fall behind after a below par start to the game, they were left stunned when John Arne Riise doubled the advantage just minutes later.
The ball broke for the Norwegian in midfield, and Riise set off on a run down the left wing. With Pompey struggling to close him down, the 25-year-old rifled a fierce low shot straight into the opposite corner from outside the area, leaving the South Coast side with a mountain to climb.
Portsmouth could have been forgiven for accepting defeat and trying to conserve energy in the second half, but they came out with much more urgency. Svetoslav Todorov was brought on, and they carried much more of a threat.
The deficit was soon reduced, as Sean Davis rose above the Liverpool defence to flick Gary O'Neil's free kick past Reina.
Moments later Riise wasted a golden opportunity at the other end, blasting well over with his right foot when he should have restored Liverpool's two-goal cushion.
In a frenetic period both sides struggled to find any real fluidity, but Pompey's positive intent meant that they were always in the hunt for an equaliser.
Stefanovic curled a free kick narrowly over the crossbar, and Liverpool looked increasingly nervous when dealing with the aerial threat posed by Pompey.
The introduction of Peter Crouch did little to stem the tide, but Portsmouth lacked any real cutting edge and could not find a way to break their opponents down.
Liverpool endured an uncomfortable final few minutes, but held on to book their passage into the next round.
| Portsmouth | Team Name | Liverpool | | 1 | Goals | 2 | | 3 | Shots on target ( Inc Goals ) | 2 | | 4 | Shots off Target (inc woodwork) | 3 | | 1 | Blocked Shots | 1 | | 7 | Corners Won | 7 | | 13 | Total Fouls Conceded | 12 | | 3 | Offsides | 2 | | 3 | Yellow Cards | 1 | | 0 | Red Cards | 0 | | 49% | Possession | 51% |
Report From 
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