Sunderland booked their place in the FA Cup fourth round with a hard-fought
victory over 10-man Portsmouth.
Peter Reid's side went through virtue of Gavin McCann's first-half strike, but
it was hardly a vintage performance as the visitors made life difficult
throughout.
Their cause was not helped by the 40th-minute dismissal of Greek midfielder
Michael Panopoulos for a bad challenge on Stefan Schwarz, but although the home
side never looked like losing, they were not at their best.
If the home fans had expected a repeat of their side's first-half heroics
against Chelsea seven days earlier, they were to be sadly disappointed.
Managerless Portsmouth arrived with a definite game plan and that did not
include any possibility of all-out attack.
The First Division side frustrated their Premiership opponents before the
break as they packed the midfield and opted for a physical approach which was to
prove costly before the break as Panopoulos was dismissed for a dreadful
40th-minute challenge on Stefan Schwarz after already beeing booked along with
Matthew Robinson and Michalis Vlachos.
Niall Quinn, too, found himself in the firing line with barely a minute gone
when he was left with a bloody nose after challenging for a high ball with Jason
Cundy.
Sunderland struggled to counter Pompey's high-pressure approach for long
periods, and central defenders Steve Bould and Paul Butler were too often left
to try to carry the ball forward from the back with little success.
However, McCann's powerful run and neat finish with 25 minutes gone finally
broke the deadlock in a half when chances were few and far between.
Panopoulos' departure compounded Pompey's problems and the fact that they did
not manage to muster a single attempt on goal before the break did not augur
well.
Whatever Reid said to his players at half-time, it seemed to have the desired
effect as they stamped their authority on the game after the restart.
McCann's excellent crossfield pass allowed Chris Makin to link with Quinn on
the edge of the box with 51 minutes gone, and when the full-back picked up the
return ball, he saw his low shot deflected just wide.
Michael Gray was the provider four minutes later and he found Kevin Phillips
in space on the right, and when he crossed to the far post, Quinn headed just
wide.
Quinn headed straight at Flahavan from another Gray cross on the hour and
substitute Paul Thirlwell saw a blistering drive sail inches over the bar after
a flowing move started by keeper Thomas Sorensen.
In the meantime, Pompey, who had replaced Brazilian midfielder Stefan
Miglioranzi with striker Steve Claridge at the break, managed their first shot,
but Guy Whittingham's effort was so horribly sliced that it ran out for a throw
in.
Phillips had his first real chance nine minutes from time after he pulled the
ball down well, but his shot found keeper Aaron Flahavan's hands on a rare blank
day for the England striker.
Teams:
Sunderland: Sorensen, Makin, Butler, Bould, Gray, Summerbee, Roy (Thirlwell 61), McCann, Schwarz, Quinn, Phillips.
Subs Not Used: Craddock, Marriott, Williams, Reddy.
Booked: Butler.
Goals: McCann 24.
Portsmouth: Flahavan, Hiley, Cundy, Moore (Crowe 67), Awford, Robinson, Panopoulos, Miglioranzi (Claridge 46), Vlachos, Whittingham, Bradbury.
Subs Not Used: Petterson, Igoe, Nightingale.
Sent Off: Panopoulos (40).
Booked: Panopoulos, Robinson, Vlachos.
Att: 26,535
Ref: N Barry (Scunthorpe).
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