City came away from the south coast empty-handed after a magnificent Mendes goal in the last minute of stoppage time at the end of the match won it for a fiesty Portsmouth.
Dunne’s close-range header looked to have given City a point with less than 10 minutes to go, although the hosts had looked the better team at times throughout the game. Their lack of quality in front of goal looked to have cost them dear until Mendes unleashed his thunderbolt with just 20 seconds left on the clock, to give Pompey a Premier League lifeline.
Team news:
Joey Barton returns into midfield after his suspension, Kiki Musampa moves out to the left in place of Albert Riera. Sylvain Distin has a groin strain and misses out, so Micah Richards moves to central defence and Sun Jihai returns to play at right back.
The Match
Fratton Park has a refreshingly ‘old-school’ feel to it, what with an open away end, pillars to look around and a cramped press box! But City’s travelling army took every available ticket to see their team on the longest away trip of the season, and at least they were rewarded with a dry if cold day to take their seats in the open air.
City’s reserve team coach Steve Wigley made a pre-match presentation out on the pitch that he graced for several seasons.
City kicked off and were wearing their blaze yellow away kit.
Sun Jihai had the first half-chance of the game after four minutes, collecting a short pass from Sinclair, cutting in and shooting with his left foot but a Portsmouth leg blocked his effort and the home side cleared.
Pompey’s first threatening moment came on 10 minutes, a teasing Priske cross going near O’Neil although City were able to clear. Two minutes later, Lua Lua was caught just, but only just, offside a matter of eight yards in front of James’ goal.
O’Neil should have opened the scoring for Portsmouth on 16 minutes when he dived to head a Lua Lua cross, but from the edge of the six yard box and with James advancing on him, his effort was just a yard wide.
Portsmouth had a spell of decent possession, but after Dunne cleared close to goal, City broke away with a chance falling to Barton on 24 minutes. The midfielder shot from just outside the box, but his effort bobbled just inches past Kiely’s right post with the keeper beaten.
Richards coped well under pressure from Mwaruwari in the 28th minute, and his cool pass out from defence led to a free kick for Barton in Pompey’s half. Sinclair was set up for a volley from the cross, but he fluffed his timing and could only see the ball trickle out for a free kick.
The home fans were baying for a penalty on 31 minutes when O’Neil tumbled under challenge from Dunne, but it was a superbly-timed tackle from City’s stand-in skipper and referee Halsey waved away the players’ appeals.
Mendes tested James from long range on 38 minutes, and the City stopper was well behind the volleyed effort. But seconds later Pompey could have scored through Mwaruwari, who pounced on a James punched clearance to nshoot on the turn from seven yards out. Thankfully his effort flew yards over and into the City fans behind the goal.
Sinclair made Kiely work deep into stoppage time with a snap shot from within the area, but the Irish keeper got down well, meaning the game was level at the break.
Lee Croft replaced Trevor Sinclair at half time.
Seconds into the second half, Taylor whipped in a cross that James did well to punch clear with Mwaruwari closing in. Musampa swung in a free kick seconds later that Kiely leapt to collect under some yellow-shirted pressure.
City were looking to use Croft, and the replacement crossed to Musampa on the edge of the box, but the Dutchman’s volley with his back to goal did not test Kiely.
James had to tip a Lua Lua cross away, and when Samaras headed over a minute later, the opening six minutes of the half had almost seen more action than the preceding 45.
But with nearly an hour gone Portsmouth took the lead through Pedro Mendes. A Pompey corner was headed clear, but the ball fell to the former Spurs man who controlled and volleyed it in from about 22 yards out, the ball shaping away from David James as it flew in.
The home fans were in raucous form now and their team responded by really going for a second. Stuart Pearce responded by replacing Reyna with Wright-Phillips after 68 minutes.
BWP was in the action soon after, collecting a Barton pass after the midfielder had kept his balance to get near the box, but the substitute’s shot was a long, long way over the bar.
Ireland replaced Jordan with 15 minutes on the clock.
Lua Lua dipped in a great free kick with 11 minutes to go, but James was equal to it although for a split-second the ball looked like it might squeeze out of his grasp.
But with nine to go, City equalised! Croft, as at Villa, worked hard to win a corner. Barton took it, Richards headed to Samaras, who flicked it on and Richard Dunne was on hand to head in from very close range.
It was a frantic finale to the game now. Pompey were screaming for a penalty when the ball appeared to strike Richards on the hand, but Halsey gave nothing. Todorov had a shot blocked, and Wright-Phillips went wide as City looked to believe they could get something from the game.
But in the dying seconds, disaster struck. A Pompey corner went out to Pedro Mendes, who unleashed an unstoppable shot from 25 yards out that tore into the top right hand corner of James’ net. It was a magnificent strike, and when play restarted Mark Halsey blew straight away to end the game.
City players could not believe that they were leaving empty-handed when a point was at least what they deserved until a scarcely-credible end to the game, although a spirited Portsmouth also deserved something for their efforts.
