Carling Cup News: Portsmouth vs Leicester City - Full time 1-2 Report Analysis (Part 1)
Portsmouth faced Leicester City, a club that has proved its dominance in recent times, especially after finishing at the 5thposition in the Championship season of 2009-10.
The disappointment last season from Premier League, Portsmouth on the other hand were relegated after having a terrible season when they finished last at the 20th position. Therefore this match proved to be a test for
them if the club could still face the mid-table teams of a league below them.
The match took place at the home ground of Pompey, Portsmouth in the field of Fratton Park and it was refereed by F. Graham.
The starting line up of Portsmouth was 1 Jamie Ashdown goal keeper, 25 Ibrahima Sonko defender, 3 Carl Dickinson defender, 20 Joe Ward defender, 8 Hayden Mullins midfielder, 22 Richard Hughes midfielder, 7 Liam Lawrence midfielder,
4 Aaron Mokoena midfielder, 5 Matt Richie midfielder, 27 Nwankwo Kanu forward and 10 David Nugent forward. They were playing with a formation of 3 – 5 – 2.
Their substitution list includes 37 Darryl Flahavan goal keeper, 11 Michael Brown midfielder, 17 John Utaka midfielder, 24 Nadir Ciftci midfielder and 18 Dave Kitson Forward.
The starting line up of Leicester City was 13 Conrad Logan goal keeper, 20 Michael Lamey defender, 18 Thomas Kennedy defender, 4 Michael Morrison defender, 5 Angelo Miguel Vitor defender, 11 Lloyd Dyer midfielder, 6 Joao Miguel
da Cunha Teixeira Moreno midfielder, 10 Andy King midfielder, 22 Yuki Abi midfielder, 9 Steve Howard forward and 7 Paul Gallagher forward. They were playing with a formation of 4 – 4 – 2.
Their substitution list includes 1 Chris Weale goal keeper, 15 Bruno Berner defender, 25 Jack Hobbs defender, 19 Richard Wellens midfielder, 23 Franck Moussa midfielder, 12 Matt Fryatt forward and 17 Dany N'Guessan forward.
It was all Leicester City from the beginning of the first half as they produced two goals in the start and at the end of the half to acquire an early lead into the game. The first half goals scored by defender Michael Morrison
and midfielder Lloyd Dyer proved to be enough in the end.
Ultimately the Foxes advanced against a ten men Portsmouth and though the Pompey side scored an apprehensive goal in the end, it proved to be nothing more than consolidation for the team that has continued to disappoint with its
poor form.
It was a late goal from the Portsmouth midfielder Liam Lawrence that intensified the whole game at Fratton Park as the final moments of the game heated up the already anxious fans.
However the goal near to the end was not the only reason the game turned into a match in resemblance to a vendetta. The red card of Leicester City’s midfielder Richard Hughes was another reason the game intensified however it were
the Foxes that held to their nerves after scoring the early goals in the game, therefore maintaining their lead till the end.
Both Portsmouth and Leicester have had a troubled journey in the Championship so far but Paulo Sousa and his men had saved their best for the match in which they had a point to prove and proceed to the next stage of the tournament.
This is not the first time Foxes have amazed fans with a dazzling comeback in their form. Even in this competition while they have been outdone on a couple of instances, they have outclassed on others.
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