‘Crazy’ Pompey on track to make history
Monday, March 8th, 2010Portsmouth will play at Wembley for the second time in three years and the south-coast outfit are still on target to become the first team to win the FA Cup and get relegated from the Premier League.
It’s a situation which has never happened before but Pompey’s inspired 2-0 win over Birmingham at Fratton Park means they’re into the semi-finals of the cup, against either Spurs or Fulham, and based on their spirited quarter-final showing they will fancy their FA Cup final betting chances.
Avram Grant’s bottom-placed side played with a purpose and desire not normally associated with relegation-haunted teams and Birmingham were firmly second best. Frederic Piquionne grabbed both goals to sink Alex McLeish’s men, who have arguably been the surprise package of the season so far.
Blues sit comfortably in eighth position in the top flight after an amazing 12-match unbeaten run earlier in the campaign. But McLeish’s men failed to spark over the weekend and Pompey, driven on by on-loan Spurs midfielder Jamie O’Hara, claimed the glory and a semi-final berth at Wembley.
Speaking before the quarter-final O’Hara said: “I think they deserve to have a bit of a great occasion, get to the final. Win the FA Cup and get relegated – it’s crazy. But that’s Portsmouth.”
Portsmouth are rooted to the foot of the table with 19 points, but after going into administration they will almost certainly have their nine-point deduction ratified next week by the Premier League. That will leave Pompey cast adrift and leave them with an almost impossible Football Betting mountain to climb in their bid for survival.
