Manchester United 0-1 Portsmouth

Simon Mullock At Old Trafford, sundaymirror.co.uk 9/03/2008

Harry Redknapp

Harry Redknapp resisted the temptation to ask for the match ball, but if Portsmouth go on to lift the FA Cup he will have something much better to remind him of the day he claimed a hat-trick against Manchester United.

Bournemouth '84 and West Ham '01 will always be special memories for Harry to look back on when he eventually decides to retire.

But what he would give to have a medal to plonk down on the mantlepiece of his Sandbanks mansion - and surely no-one will bet against him climbing the Wembley steps after this.

Certainly not those bookies who rated Portsmouth as 11-1 shots to beat United in the Cup for the first time in 74 years.

But Sulley Muntari's 77th minute penalty ensured United would be joining Arsenal and Liverpool in front of their TVs when the oldest football trophy of them all is handed out in May.

As with many classic FA Cup occasions, the game was low on quality, but high on drama - particularly in the second half when United laid siege to David James's goal, only to find the fates conspiring against them.

Even the decisive moment itself came with the home side on the offensive.

James collected Nani's corner to set into motion the move that would win the match with a kick that found Niko Kranjcar and Milan Baros faced with only Wayne Rooney and Anderson to beat.

With both United players drawn to the ball, Kranjcar sent Baros clear and substitute keeper Tomasz Kuszczak could only bring him down.

Referee Martin Atkinson pointed to the penalty spot and produced a red card for Kuszczak in almost the same movement.

Rio Ferdinand swapped his red No.5 for Kuszczak's blue jersey and Muntari produced a finish that would have beaten most goalkeepers.

It may have been cruel on United, but it's days like these that make the FA Cup the competition it is.

Not that Sir Alex Ferguson will have seen it like that. The United boss was furious when the referee rejected an early penalty appeal after Cristiano Ronaldo had been sent flying by the shoulder of Sylvain Distin.

Wayne Rooney was next to lose his temper after being sent clear to dance around James from Carlos Tevez's pass, only to be tackled by the outstanding Sol Campbell.

Even then, Tevez thought he had netted the rebound, but Glen Johnson was at hand to head the ball off the line.

The trickle of United attacks became a flood after the break, even though Ferguson had been forced to bring on Kuszczak after Edwin Van der Sar had reported a groin strain.

James snatched the ball off Nani's toes after initially spilling Ronaldo's tempting cross and was in the right place to thwart the Portugal winger again when he let fly from long range.

Portsmouth then survived an almighty scramble inside their six-yard box after Nemanja Vidic's header appeared to hit Tevez on the goalline.

And as Ronaldo, Patrice Evra and substitute Michael Carrick missed further chances, Fergie must have feared the worst.

When the visitors were eventually able to break the shackles, they landed a blow that even United could not recover from.

Portsmouth haven't been to Wembley since 1939 - now they could be visiting twice in a matter of weeks.

MAN UTD
Van der Sar 6 (Kuszczak 4), Brown 6, Ferdinand 6, Vidic 6, Evra 6, Ronaldo 6, Hargreaves 6 (Carrick 6), Scholes 6, Nani 6, Rooney 7, Tevez 6 (Anderson 6).

Manager Ferguson 6

PORTSMOUTH
James 8, Johnson 7, CAMPBELL 9, Distin 8, Hreidarsson 7, Utaka 5 (Lauren 5), Diop 6, Diarra 8, Muntari 7, Kranjcar 6 (Hughes 5), Kanu 5 (Baros 7).

Manager Redknapp 8

Referee M Atkinson: 7

HEAD TO HEAD
Paul Scholes v Papa Bouba Diop
Scholes is still short of his best following his long injury lay-off and he found the towering Diop uncompromising in the midfield battle.

MAN OF THE MATCH
SOL CAMPBELL
The big centre-back put in a colossal performance, organising the Portsmouth defence and always being there to block or tackle.