Southampton 1, Portsmouth 4: Pompey Counter Sees Off South Coast Rivals

The South Coast Derby held an upset potential for seventy-five minutes, with Southampton looking to add to their rival’s troubles by pulling off a two-division-upset over Portsmouth. But for one day, Pompey was able to put the trials of a winding up order behind them, going to St. Mary’s to knock their local foes out of the FA Cup.

Second half goals from Quincy Owusu-Abeiye, Aruna Dindane, Nadir Belhadj and Jamie O’Hara left St. Mary’s stunned and put the 2007-08 FA Cup champions into the final eight, defeating Southampton 4-1.

At the onset, Southampton was the stronger side – to be expected from the hosting, lower-division side in the derby. The Saints were consistently able to find space for their forwards between center halfs Hermann Hreidarsson and Marc Wilson, with a poor touch from Pape Waigo the only thing preventing the Senegalese, put in behind the defense, from giving the League One side a 14th minute lead.

The ball for Waigo came off the foot of left back Danny Harding, who was consistently able to beat Hayden Mullins. Nominally a midfielder who was playing at right back, Mullins was unable to keep Harding from providing balls that would continue to exploit the central defenders, with Waigo almost heading another Harding cross home in the 18th minute.

Portsmouth’s means of attack during Southampton’s strong start: Jaime O’Hara’s left foot. Four times within the first 23 minutes, the midfielder found space from 20 to 25 meters to put shots toward Saints goalkeeper Kelvin Davis. O’Hara came closest in that 23rd minute, with a 22-meter dripper bowing below the bar before Davis could block it out.

Despite O’Hara’s efforts and Pompey’s evening-out play from Southampton’s opening forays, the Saints remaining the more effective side, though their chances failed to yield a goal before half.

The second half started with an early hint that the last forty-five would be drastically different, with Aruna Dindane putting a scare into St. Mary’s, finishing a counter with a 20-meter shot that went just outside Davis’s left post.

But while Portsmouth showed more attacking options in the second, Southampton still had a measure of control on the match, with much of the play involving various questions asked of a Pompey defense that had become more compact, compensating for their problems at the match’s onset.

In attack, Pompey was boosted when Quincy Owusu-Abeyie was brought on for Angelos Basinas in the 58th minute. The Ghanian attacker have Avram Grant’s move pay off nine minutes later, bending a 17-mete shot inside Davis’s far post for the opening goal.

Three minutes later, Southampton responded, with the central defense being victimized on a set piece. A kick given on the attack’s right flank led to Dan Harding’s ball for Ricky Lambert, with the big striker heading past David James while challenging for the cross with his back to goal. The backwards header made it 1-1.

Southampton still looked the more capable side in the minutes after the equalizer, but Pompey’s talent advantage would shine through, starting with Aruna Dindane being fed on goal by Owusu-Abeyie, with the Ivorian’s finish leading to a counter-attack, match-winning goal.

Pompey would add another on the counter seven minutes later, with left back Nadir Belhadj jumping into an open chance on Davis, finishing to put Southampton down 3-1.

Again, three minutes later, Pompey would strike, with Jamie O’Hara making it 4-1 on another counter.

Ultimately, the talent advantages that allowed athletes like Dindan, Owusu-Abeyie and Belhadj to cut through Southampton separated the sides. Neither side defended that well, but Portsmouth had the talent to finish their opportunities, busting out of their own end to create the better quality chances.

Southhamption may have shown a better ability to build their attacks, but in the end, that only got them within four goals of the quarterfinals

Portsmouth, the winners of this competition two years ago, are through to the final eight, should they survive long enough see the next round.