Portsmouth dreaming of Europe as Magpies downed

AFP - 14 April 2007 19:37

Portsmouth´s Djimi Traore(L) and Gary O´Neil celebrate during an 07 April 2007 match. Portsmouth kept their dreams of UEFA Cup football alive with a 2-1 win over visitors Newcastle United at Fratton Park on Saturday.

PORTSMOUTH, England (AFP) - Portsmouth kept their dreams of UEFA Cup football alive with a 2-1 win over visitors Newcastle United at Fratton Park on Saturday.

Zimbabwean striker Benjani Mwaruwari gave Pompey the perfect start with a seventh-minute goal and defender Matt Taylor blasted in a 30-yard strike in the 59th minute for his third goal in three games.

Turkey midfielder Emre gave the Magpies a glimmer of hope with a 69th-minute penalty but Portsmouth held on to take all three points.

With four games left, the result leaves Portsmouth seventh in the Premiership table, which may prove good enough for a UEFA Cup place should a Champions League-qualified side win the FA Cup.

Glenn Roeder's Newcastle are 11th, nine points clear of the relegation zone but eight points behind Pompey.

The hosts had 21 shots to Newcastle's seven and only occasionally looked threatened.

The Magpies could have scored two early goals but former England goalkeeper David James pushed over Nigeria striker Obefami Martins's shot and Australia defender Craig Moore scuffed his effort wide from the resulting corner.

Benjani made Newcastle pay minutes later, holding off Moore and Steven Taylor in the penalty box before firing a low drive past goalkeeper Steve Harper.

It was only the fifth goal of the season for Pompey's record signing and his first since New Year's Day.

Pompey's Nigeria striker Nwankwo Kanu crashed a shot against Harper's crossbar in the 16th minute which television replays suggested had bounced down over the goal-line. However, referee Chris Foy did not spot it and Kanu's celebrations were in vain.

In the second half, Martins directed a powerful header onto the bar from a James Milner cross but despite the pressure, Harry Redknapp's side doubled their lead minutes later.

Taylor, who has earned a reputation for hitting long-distance goals, thumped a left-foot shot that bounced in front of Harper and flew past him.

Newcastle pulled one back when Serbia defender Dejan Stefanovic tripped Milner in the box and Emre beat James to his left from the penalty spot.

It meant James has to wait for another chance to overtake former Arsenal and England goalkeeper David Seaman's Premiership record for the most clean sheets.

Roeder threw on Spain striker Albert Luque in place of Republic of Ireland winger Damien Duff with nine minutes left, but he could not change the outcome.

Pompey had done enough and now are within touching distance of securing a UEFA Cup spot.