City-Portsmouth Live Blog and Match Thread!

By: Thad | August 30th, 2009

Live commentary as River Plate, no wait, Manchester City in their away strip, travel to Fratton Park to try to heap more misery on Portsmouth. It’s a league debut for Joleon Lescott. Can City continue its unblemished start to the campaign?
Team sheet for Portsmouth: Begovic, Vanden Borre, Kaboul, Mokoena, Belhadj, Brown, Mullins, Hughes, Smith, Piquionne, Kranjcar.

For City, one change in the team from midweek as Bellamy gets the start ahead of Robinho. Otherwise it’s Given, Richards, Toure, Lescott, Bridge, Wright-Phillips, Ireland, Barry, Adebayor and Tevez. A strong bench with Robinho, Petrov, de Jong, Onuoha, Weiss, Zabaleta and goalkeeper Stuart Taylor.

This has not usually been a happy hunting ground for City. What will happen today?

1st minute. Portsmouth kick if off and before long Kranjcar has knocked it behind for a goal kick. Early mistake by Bridge gifts the ball back to Portsmouth.

3rd minute. City move early to establish some attacking control. A nice ball by Lescott to the wing found Tevez, nothing comes of that move but City maintain possession for a spell. Portsmouth win it briefly but hoof it aimlessly into City’s end.

5th minute. SWP got into the box and was able to play a cross in but Begovic claims it easily. David James is out today with an injury.

7th minute. Very dangerous long ball by Portsmouth left Given in no man’s land just outside the box, but he got a foot to it do deal with the problem.

8th minute. Some decent hustle in the corner by Richards wins a corner kick for City. Barry to take….

9th minute… And a good take it was but City can’t put a head on it. Given again got into a little bit of trouble being closed down rapidly at feet outside of the box. Portsmouth then get into a dangerous position but it’s behind for a goal kick.

11th minute. Excellent shot from Piquionne from outside the box finds side netting. A long ball down the middle found the Portsmouth striker.

12th minute. Ireland with a great interception, then he’s taken down cynically by Hughes and it’s a yellow card. City have a free kick from 35 yards, probably a little too long for a direct shot but we’ll see….

13th minute. Tevez took it, it hooked about 4 yards wide after looking dangerous in the air.

15th minute. Adebayor wins a foul on the right and it’s another free kick in a good area, Barry to take…oh dear City had a great chance off that! Begovic dropped it but City couldn’t knock the loose ball into the net. Richards was there but couldn’t get a clean foot on it, he was off balance to be fair. Portsmouth come the other way and get a corner..

17th minute. Portsmouth actually had 2 corners there but City clear it away and set up shop again.

19th minute. An extended spell of possession ends with Tevez having a dribble and shooting from about 25 yards, but it’s on the ground without real pace, and right at the keeper to boot. Portsmouth come the other way and get a free kick on the left.

20th minute. Which Pompey proceeds to waste. After some battling in midfield City come away with it and comfortably pass the ball around the back. Nice tackle there by Lescott, then he follows up with a through ball to Bellamy, but he can’t quite beat the keeper to the ball…

25th minute. City have yet to carve out a clear chance despite having the better of the play. A couple of crosses there from Bridge and Barry on the left are blocked away.

26th minute. SWP wins a foul near midway, then Ireland is caught by Michael Brown for another foul in quick succession. Ireland winces but he’ll be okay. Stats say 55% possession for City so far.

27th minute. That play doesn’t come to anything either, Ireland floated a hopeful ball through the box but there was no one there.

29th minute. City have done nothing so far to make Robinho feel his exclusion is justified. But maybe City can find some rhythm before the break. Richards wins a corner on the right side…

30th minute. GOAL for City! Adebayor heads it in from 6 yards on Barry’s excellent corner. He made that ball his, jumped well, headed powerfully and unstoppably. Just like that City lead.

32nd minute. Pompey raise their game and get it into the box, but can’t get a clear shot off. Portsmouth now have a free kick 45 yards from goal. SWP wins a foul from Kaboul in the corner and City will get out of this one.

34th minute. Blue Moon has been ringing around the ground. Where are the chimes of Pompey? Let’s see if City can improve its play after that goal. Nice run by Richards to win that corner and set up the chance leading to the goal, by the way.

37th minute. Same pattern of play sets in with City having more of the ball. City really don’t look like breaking Portsmouth down from half-court sets as it were, to take a basketball term. But they’ve got a goal off a corner and might be able to get a few more set piece opportunities. Either that or a good counter-attack.

39th minute. Nice tackle by Mullins on SWP, Portsmouth try to counter but Hughes plays the ball too wide and it’s a throw-in cof Rcity. Adebayor comes back on the left and manages to win a corner on that side. SWP to take?

40th minute. No it’s Tevez, but he find the first Portsmouth head….a couple of moments later Richards has it in the net but the goal is disallowed for offside. Barry was the man offside. SWP had recovered the corner, played it to Tevez, who found Bellamy, whose cross was knocked in by Richards. So unlucky for Richards that won’t count, he did nothing wrong.

42nd minute. Vanden Borre wins that one away from Bellamy…replay shows that goal by Richards possibly could have been allowed as Barry wasn’t really in the play, but he was clearly offside far post when the cross came in.

44th minute. Some great hustle by Adebayor sets up a chance for Barry, his shot is apparently blocked and it’s a corner. Howard Webb talking down Bellamy. Barry’s corner isn’t as good this time but Mullins puts it behind and he’ll get another chance.

45th minute. That was better but it’s headed behind again this time by Piquionne. Bellamy walks over to take it from the other side. It’s a good one too but a City head can’t reach it. Portsmouth counter but again nothing comes of it, they have had major problems stringing passes together out of the back.

Webb blows the whistle and it’s halftime. 1-0 City. Hasn’t been a pretty match but City look very solid at the back, and that may be enough today.

46th minute. City kick things off for the second half, both sides appear to be unchanged. Let’s see if there any tactical adjustments in style of play. City give it away cheaply in their own half, Brown took a pop but it was blocked.

47th minute. Brown had the ball in the net but the play had stopped and Given let his shot fly in. Brown was whistled harshly for a handball on the initial block of Toure’s pass. Richards had just about closed him down before the whistle went, but that was still a bit harsh on Pompey.

49th minute. That Italian guy who manages England is as ever in the stands…which may help explain why Richards is giving such a good effort. City had a half chance, Adebayor played a dummie inside the box but no one made the run in behind to smack that one in.

51st minute. Adebayor fouled on the edge of the box. Not sure that was a foul but City have a free kick on the left a yard outside the box. Tevez and Bellamy stand over the ball. Bellamy strikes it well but Kaboul heads it over.

53rd minute. Barry played the succeeding corner, Begovic went high to get a punch to it and City have a throw on the left. Adebayor brilliantly skins two defenders, then shoots hard from a tight angle but Begovic saves well.

54th minute. Richards is in a very industrious mood, he dribbles well to get into the box and win another corner. Barry switches things up by playing it on the floor outside the box to Ireland, whose one-time shot goes over the bar.

56th minute. Toure picked it up in the center of the park and dribbled all the way into shooting range, but his effort is on the ground and easily dealt with by Begovic. City need to translate their current pressure into a second goal.

58th minute. Richards is sitting on the ground apparently with an injury. The physio seems to be looking at his knee. Richards is hobbling off, he may be done for today after an excellent display.

59th minute. Great tackle by Tevez relieved the pressure for 10-man City, the ball is worked over to Bellamy who fires a shot right at Begovic. City still don’t have a replacement for Richards on.

60th minute. Fortunately Portsmouth waste another ball over the end line and that gives Zabaleta time to come on for his league debut this season.

61th minute. Zabaleta’s first touch is a useful one, he found Adebayor with a long pass up the right side who was cynically fouled at the half way line. Zab will take the free kick, he finds Adebayor’s head but Portsmouth get the second ball. Barry whistled for hand ball at midfield and Portsmouth get it into the box, but Kranjcar’s cross is not headed cleanly by Kaboul. Goal kick.

64th minute. Nice one-two between Bellamy and Adebayor in the box doesn’t quite come off…great hustle by Bellamy wins the ball right back, but City lose it a couple of moments later.

66th minute. Piquionne runs into Zabaleta on the edge of the box but Webb gives nothing. Poor give away by Lescott in the back leads to a good opportunity for Portsmouth, but Zabaleta’s head helps get that away.

67th minute. SWP wins a corner down the right side. The corner fell to Toure whose slightly awkward strike goes wide.

68th minute. A bit of a scramble in the box for a moment there as SWP tried to play Ireland in. Utaka is coming on now for Portsmouth, Smith is off. Might Robinho soon make an appearance? Hard to see who should come off but one feels a bit of Brazilian skill could put this match to bed.

71th minute. Good tackle by Barry, but SWP plays a very unwise square ball that’s intercepted. Fortunately City clear that one away too. Portsmouth are trying to pick up the pace in search of an equalizer.

72nd minute. Offside on Piquionne relieves the pressure. This game may get more open the last 20 minutes as Pompey push forward. Mullins gets forward to take a shot that is deflected behind for a corner.

73rd minute. Kanu is coming on for Piquionne. Toure will try to mark him on the corner. City get that away for a moment, but Bellamy is caught in possession. Kaboul has the chance to strike from distance, but it’s a defender’s shot that goes well over the bar.

76th minute. Good chance for City there, Adebayor set up Barry but he is tackled inside the box before he can get a shot away. Nigel de Jong is entering the game and it’s Ireland who is off. This looks a sensible move by Mark Hughes.

77th minute. Testing cross by Kanu is taken by Given. Adebayor gets it on the counter but can’t get a shot a way. Utaka back the other way for Pompey and he goes very close!

78th minute. Phew! That was the best effort of the day for Portsmouth, he went for the far corner from the right hand side and just put it a couple of yards past the post. City are hanging on, but here’s Adebayor again winning the ball and then winning a foul 25 yards from goal.

80th minute. Bellamy’s free kick was at the wall but Pompey make a hash of the clearance and City get a corner. After some head tennis Adebayor nodded it towards goal but Begovic saves easily.

81st minute. Yellow card for Zabaleta as he tackles Kanu from behind. It wasn’t a bad tackle but it was from behind. Free kick 45 yards from goal, the ball eventually falls to Hughes but he gets that very very wrong–well over the bar.

83rd minute. Adebayor looked like he was held back as he tried to meet Tevez’s cross there at the penalty spot, but there’s no call.

84th minute. City have not really taken off the pedal going forward, still playing for a second. Tevez’s pass finds Howard Webb however and City lose possession momentarily.

86th minute. 5 minutes for City to hang on! City have it down the left side after good pressure forces Portsmouth to give it up.

87th minute. SWP fires almost comically wide after an excellent move to get into the box. A hit-and-hoper finds the stands. Dave Nugent is coming on for Hughes.

88th minute. Great chance for Portsmouth there but Given saves from Nugent! He was open from about 8 yards.

89th minute. City come back smartly the other way and SWP’s good cross is cleared out for a throw. Replay of that move shows how Nugent got away from Zabaleta, then played a perfect chest trap to himself to set up his right foot. With the goal gaping, he found Given’s left hand.

90th minute. Penalty shout for SWP after some superb work in the corner area. He got into the box and then got tackled from behind by Kaboul. Webb judges he got the ball, but Mark Hughes and SWP didn’t think so. 3 minutes of injury time to go.

92nd minute. Pompey get another chance, Given saves from Utaka’s weak header after a very dangerous cross from the left.

93rd minute. City bring it forward but lose possession. Lescott clears and Tevez is brought down in the box, but no penalty! But it doesn’t really matter as time is up and City have won the game.

1-0 to City in a deserved win. City never looked like scoring a hatful today, but had the better of the play and were able to keep Portsmouth from stringing anything convincing together in attack. Time after time Pompey got the ball only to lose it again after one or two passes.

Portsmouth did go close a couple of times, once through Utaka and near the end on Nugent’s chance, but City survive. Adebayor was excellent again today for City, the focal point of attack after attack, and Bellamy’s hard running justified his selection. A good shift from Tevez as well, running everywhere.

So that’s 9 points from 9 for City. Next up in the league after the international break will be Arsenal, the biggest test of the season so far for City.