Skip to Content. Skip to Navigation.

Match Report

 
 
Manchester City 6 : Portsmouth 0

Manchester City 6 : Portsmouth 0

22/09/2008 2:40 AM

Manchester City's players put Portsmouth to the sword with a scintillating 6-0 display that was timed perfectly to impress their watching new chairman.

With Khaldoon Al Mubarak in attendance, City - inspired by its superstar Brazilian Robinho - ripped Portsmouth apart with a six-goal salvo.

Jo, Richard Dunne, Robinho and Shaun Wright-Phillips - plus substitutes Ched Evans and Gelson Fernandes - each scored in a stunning all-round display.

It was humiliation for Portsmouth, and in particular a match to forget for goalkeeper David James - who was partly culpable for several of the home side's goals.

Mark Hughes, the City manager, has been promised time to break into the top four by the club's new owners from Abu Dhabi. But after this, expectations will be sky-high.

Pompey boss Harry Redknapp started off with an unfashionable 3-5-2 line-up and must have regretted it as City pulled the defence apart from the start.

James had already made two good saves, from Robinho and Wright-Phillips, when City went ahead in the 13th minute.

Jo, a handful for the centre-backs all afternoon, was the man to get it - as Al Mubarak applauded from the directors' box.

Robinho slid a pass that caught Younes Kaboul flat-footed to find his fellow Brazilian.

As James came racing out, Jo rounded him easily and side-footed the ball into the empty net.

Peter Crouch glanced a header over the bar from a corner as Portsmouth tried to hit back quickly, but almost immediately went 2-0 down.

James had to shoulder some of the blame for this one. Elano's clever corner towards the near post nearly caught him out, and he could only parry the ball for Dunne to bundle home from close range.

Portsmouth then had a spell where it managed to match City and create several chances, but wasted these opportunities to claw its way back.

Crouch came within inches, slamming Glen Johnson's low centre just the wrong side of the post before Kaboul spooned a shot over from 12 yards, after Sol Campbell had headed down Nadir Belhadj's free-kick.

Campbell saw his goal-bound header blocked on the line by Pablo Zabaleta, before Lassana Diarra's shot was diverted over his own bar by Dunne.

But Robinho could scent his second goal in as many games and the 24-year-old nearly scored with some outrageous skill, only to be denied by a block.

Within seconds of the re-start, Jermain Defoe burst through on goal ahead of Micah Richards but finished woefully - poking his shot wide ... and that was that for Portsmouth.

City's third goal arrived in the 57th minute - and to general delight in the stadium, the scorer was that man Robinho. It was made by the irrepressible Stephen Ireland, who robbed Armand Traore and floated a ball over the top for Jo to knock into his compatriot's path - and Robinho finished expertly with a low strike into the corner.

The fourth was if anything even more popular with the City fans, as Wright-Phillips made it on to the scoresheet. Ireland was the provider again, delivering a perfect pass for Wright-Phillips to run on to and hammer a shot from a narrow angle past James at his near post.

Evans made it five after Robinho's step-overs flummoxed Campbell; Wright-Phillips executed a Brazilian-style back-heel, and the 19-year-old Welshman completed the job neatly from eight yards out.

Portsmouth was so shell-shocked it was no surprise when the

 
Photograph Copyright : Getty Images
Page12»

Latest Headlines

 
 
Kossie unsure on Aloisi
Kossie unsure on Aloisi
Football
09/01/2009 3:25 PM
Sydney FC striker John Aloisi may have played his last game for the club after coach John ...
 
 
Archie expecting heat
Football
09/01/2009 2:58 PM
 
Petkovic says farewell
Football
09/01/2009 2:20 PM
 
Depth to test Reds
Football
09/01/2009 8:46 AM
 
Hearfield on the rise
Football
09/01/2009 8:45 AM
 
Torres seeks Liverpool hearts
Football
09/01/2009 6:10 AM
 
Roar ready for test
Football
08/01/2009 8:48 PM
 
Griffin to master No.1 spot
Football
08/01/2009 4:10 PM
 
Reds aim high for Jets
Football
08/01/2009 1:27 PM
 
Jets happy with ACL draw
Football
08/01/2009 11:32 AM
 
 
 

Your Say

 
 

Our Say

 
 
Melbourne looking the goods
Melbourne looking the goods
Bren O'Brien
Aurelio Vidmar will be having a few sleepless nights in the lead-up to the finals trying ...more
United's busy schedule a worry
United's busy schedule a worry
Paul Gough
Manchester United's participation in the 'Mickey Mouse' FIFA World Club Championship ...more