Portsmouth v Cardiff City - follow the latest from the FA Cup final at Wembley

By SIMON MILHAM

Last updated at 17:42 17 May 2008

LATEST:

94mins: FULL-TIME SUMMARY - PORTSMOUTH 1 Cardiff City 0

Kanu's first-half goal was enough to hand Portsmouth a first FA Cup

final success in 69 years as they denied Cardiff a fairytale ending at Wembley.

The Nigerian took advantage of an error from Bluebirds goalkeeper Peter

Enckelman to move Pompey within 45 minutes of their third victory in the

competition. It should have been his second of the game after he hit the outside of the post with the goal gaping earlier on in the game, while City had chances of their own, with David James doing superbly to deny Paul Parry and Roger Johnson heading narrowly over.

94mins: FULL-TIME - PORTSMOUTH 1 Cardiff City 0

94mins: The ball goes for another corner in a desperate finale. Cardiff pump in the corner but the final whistle goes and it's all over. Portsmouth have won the FA Cup!

93 mins: Diarra fouls Stephen McPhail and is booked for unsporting behaviour. Peter Enckelman takes the free kick from right channel, resulting in open play, but Cardiff soon earn a corner. A stunning block from Glen Johnson stops his namesake Roger Johnson from grabbing a last-gasp equaliser for Cardiff.

91 mins: Portsmouth waste a few more seconds as Ramsey fouls Bouba Diop and they have a free-kick.

90 mins: Baros breaks clear and wins a corner. Pompey then hold the ball up near the corner flag and win another one. Cardiff eventually win the ball back. There are four minutes of added time remaining.

89 mins: Ramsey has two bites at the cherry inside the Portsmouth area. However he elects to pass on the first occasion and then sees his shot blocked. It is desperate defending from Pompey.

88 mins: Baros forces Cardiff to play it all the way back to Enckelman. That's was a savvy piece of play by the ex-Villa player.

87 mins: Pompey goalscorer Kanu gets a great ovation as he trots off to be replaced by Milan Baros. There are just three minutes left.

86 mins: The FA Cup engraver is preparing to put Portsmouth's name on the trophy. Cardiff make their final change as Trevor Sinclair comes on for Rae.

84 mins: Distin surges forward from his own half into the Cardiff area but a fantastic tackle from Roger Johnson saves the day.

83 mins: Portsmouth break from a corner and Kanu almost finds a way through but McNaughton does just enough. He earns a free-kick for his efforts and the danger has passed.

82 mins: Ramsey wins a throw for Cardiff near the right corner flag. Capaldi takes it, Campbell twice gets his head to the ball which allows Portsmouth to clear. He's been man of the match by some way.

81 mins: Good defending from Johnson. He should have his name in lights for that piece of play (hopefully he won't have to go to B&Q or Homebase to buy them). He shepherds the ball out for a goal-kick despite harried by the impressive Ledley.

80 mins: Thompson gives Portsmouth a chance to clear when he's penalised for a foul.

79 mins: Distin concedes a corner and Cardiff almost capitalise, but Loovens' header into the ground bounces over the bar. That was close as far as Pompey are concerned.

78 mins: Pompey boss Harry Redknapp sends on Papa Bouba Diop for Mendes as he looks to keep things tight at the back.

77 mins: Thompson has a half-chance, but but Campbell just gets to the ball first. How many times have we seen that happen this afternoon? Campbell has had a superb game.

76 mins: Another long throw from Capaldi causes problems, but Portsmouth scramble the ball clear after a bit of fuss.

75 mins: David James has had an eay time of it in the second half, but Cardiff are starting to come back into things with just 15 minutes left.

74 mins: A mistake by Glen Johnson almost lets in Cardiff but the Pompey defender reacts quickly and puts the ball out for a corner. Roger Johnson's header from the corner was always going wide.

73 mins: Ledley has a good opening to surge forward, but he snaps at a shot rather than taking his time, and his 35-yard effort is hopelessly high and wide.

72 mins: Nugent bursts into the Cardiff box and lashes in a right-footed volley from a tight angle which Enckelman is forced to turn around the post. It was another awkward moment for the City keeper.

71 mins: Hasselbaink is replaced by Steven Thompson up front for Cardiff, who are looking to level up Kanu's first-half goal.

70 mins: Hasselbaink is almost put in by Ramsey, but Campbell is again there to get to the ball first.

69 mins: Portsmouth make their first change. David Nugent replaces Utaka. It looks a straight swap on the right.

68 mins: McPhail looks for Parry with a long ball, but Campbell has been like a rock today and again he heads clear.

67 mins: Cardiff are struggling to get to grips with the game and McNaughton's clearance goes straight to Kanu.

66 mins: Portsmouth have a free-kick on the halfway line but Distin's ball to Utaka is too strong. Cardiff have a goal-kick.

65 mins: Kanu puts his foot on the ball to slow things down. Pompey are keeping possession and the ball goes all the way back to keeper David James. There have been few worthwhile chances to speak of in this second half. Pompey look comfortable.

64 mins: Ramsey gets an early touch. He wins a free-kick just inside the Portsmouth half.

63 mins: Neat interchange between Muntari, Kanu and Mendes, but a super tackle from McNaughton prevents Muntari from making any futher progress. Portsmouth are doing most of the pressing.

62 mins: Great defending by Loovens, who reads Johnson's pass intended for Kanu and stretches well to intercept.

61 mins: Ramsey replaces Whittingham as Cardiff make a change.

60 mins: Muntari gives away a free-kick but Parry is caught offside.

59 mins: Aaron Ramsey is getting warmed up on the sidelines for Cardiff as the hour mark approaches.

58 mins: Pompey are getting plenty of space down the right and Utaka races free. He takes one touch too many, however and Cardiff win the ball back.

57 mins: Cardiff surge forward, but they are leaving themselves vulnerable. Portsmouth look dangerous on the break. Kranjcar and Muntari link up but Cardiff regroup to clear.

56 mins: Enckelman again elects to punch clear a Portsmouth corner. The ball then drops to Muntari 30 yards out and he attempts a powerful shot but his left-footed effort is alway rising and it was going over the bar from the moment it left his foot.

55 mins: Loovens is forced into a foul by Kranjcar.

54 mins: Enckelman punches the corner clear but as Whittingham breaks for Cardiff he's cynically brought down by Kranjcar. The Pompey man rightly goes into the book for that - there was no attempt to play the ball. Kranjcar could have been deemed to be the last man, too. He was lucky.

53 mins: Diarra again helps Pompey break clear and he lays the ball back for Kanu, but his shot from 15 yards is deflected for a corner by Loovens. That was a great chance.

51 mins: Kanu fouls Johnson deep in Cardiff terratory. Enckelman takes it, but it results in open play.

50 mins: Utaka fouls Ledley and the free-kick is taken left-footed by Peter Whittingham from left wing. Johnson drills a header from the right side of the penalty area , which goes wide via a deflection. Surprisingly, Dean gives a goal-kick, which James takes.

49 mins: A foul by Stephen McPhail on Diarra gives Pompey a free-kick. Glen Johnson swings it in from right wing, but Roger Johnson clears.

48 mins: Referee Mike Dean says the ball needs to be changed and there is a break in play. Referees, huh?

47 mins: Glen Johnson prevents the ball going out for a corner. It is an intrellegent piece of work form the former West Ham and Chelsea right-back. Capaldi fires in another dangerous long throw which Portsmouth are able to head clear. He is causing them several problems from those.

46 mins: They are underway again at Wembley. Neither team has made any changes at the break.

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3.55pm: HALF-TIME SUMMARY - PORTSMOUTH 1 CARDIFF CITY 0

Kanu struck eight minutes before half-time to give Portsmouth a slender

lead over Cardiff in today's FA Cup final at Wembley. He took advantage of an error from Bluebirds goalkeeper Peter Enckelman to move Pompey within 45 minutes of a first Cup success in 69 years. The Nigerian should have already been on the scoresheet after hitting the outside of the post from an acute angle with the goal gaping. But City created chances of their own, with David James doing superbly to deny Paul Parry and Roger Johnson heading narrowly over.

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3.48pm: HALF-TIME: PORTSMOUTH 1 CARDIFF CITY 0

48 mins: The whistle goes for half-time.

47 mins: A free-kick leads to a corner and Cardiff have the ball in the Portsmouth net when Loovens hooks it into the goal but he's penalised for handball. It looks the correct decision.

46 mins: Hermann Hreidarsson is the first player to be booked after he shows dissent when Cardiff are awarded a free-kick. If you are going to get booked, at least foul someone!

45 mins: There is just one minute of added time.

44 mins: Referee Mike Dean gives Johnson a talking-to for that foul, but he gets away without being booked.

43 mins: Ledley is clipped by Johnson and the Cardiff man stays down. There are just a couple of minutes to half-time.

42 mins: McPhail is injured and there is a stoppage in play.

41 mins: Cardiff earn a free-kick inside their own half but again it comes to nothing.

40 mins: Pompey don't lose leads. They have won on all 20 occasions they've taken the lead this season. No wonder Portsmouth fans are in great heart.

39 mins: Cardiff nearly level straight from the kick-off as Parry surges down the left and plays square ball across the area, but it is too strong for the outstretched Kevin McNaughton. The Ball goes behind for a goal-kick.

38 mins: How are Cardiff going to react? That could be a bitter blow right before half-time.

37 mins: GOAL - PORTSMOUTH 1 Cardiff City 0: (Kanu 37)

Diarra puts Utaka away down the right. He puts in a low, away-swinging cross which bounces right in front of Enckelman, who can only palm the ball straight to Kanu. The ball pops up nicely and he has a simple tap-in after reacting before Roger Johnson. His celebration leaves a lot to be desired, though. If he throws those shapes on a dance-floor, they'd accuse them of dancing like his dad!

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36 mins: Cardiff are on their heels a little bit at the moment as Portsmouth start to get a grip in midfield.

35 mins: Mendes has a 30-yard effort which is straight at Enckelman.

34 mins: Johnson creates space on the right and puts in a dangerous-looking cross but Enckelman punches the ball clear. He does not look convincing.

33 mins: Hasselbaink is crowded out inside the Pompey area and Portsmouth break swiftly, working the ball to Kanu who cuts in from the left and curls in a shot. However, the ball curls a couple of yards wide.

32 mins: Sylvain Distin's free-kick is lumped forward hopefully by Portsmouth but comes to nothing.

31 mins: Gavin Rae gives away a free-kick just inside the Portsmouth half after a hefty chalenge on Mendes.

30 mins: The opening half hour has been very finely balanced. Cardiff have been more than a match for the Premier League side.

29 mins: Niko Kranjcar fouls Kevin McNaughton. The direct free kick is taken by Johnson from his own half. The ball is floated into the Portsmouth area and towards Hasselbaink but his header drifts through straight to James.

28 mins: Whittingham tries to thread the ball to Hasselbaink but Campbell is equal to the challenge.

27 mins: Cardiff earn another free-kick when Utaka fouls Ledley. Whittingham's left wing free-kick finds Johnson, but his glancing header just goes over the bar.

26 mins: The corner clears everyone and goes out of play for a Portsmouth goal-kick.

25 mins: Ledley is causing Portsmouth all sorts of problems with his neat passing and he puts them in trouble again. Campbell is forced to concede a corner.

24 mins: Cardiff have a free-kick on the left edge of Pompey's area. It is playeed short to Parry who cracks a low shot but the ball is charged down by the Pompey defence. It's an open game at the moment.

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23 mins: Kanu beats Loovens and then Enckelman but he then fires wide from a couple of yards out. It was a tight angle but it should have been the opening goal for Pompey. A great chance.

22 mins: John Utaka clatters into Hasselbaink and Cardiff take a free-kick inside their own half.

21 mins: James gathers the corner with ease.

20 mins: Whittingham takes the free-kick and the ball almost reaches Roger Johnson, but Campbell heads out for a corner.

19 mins: A free-kick to Cardiff midway inside the Portsmouth half after a foul from Diarra.

18 mins: Capaldi's long throw again causes problems in Pompey's defence but are going to be a real threat to Portsmouth but the ball is headed clear.

17 mins: Enckelman punts the ball downfield and the ball goes out of play for a Portsmouth throw.

16 mins: Cardiff have looked the brighter side but Portsmouth have given them a warning. They are quick on the break - it's no surprise that their away form has been one of the best in the Premier League this season.

15 mins: Portsmouth come the closest to breaking the deadlock.

A foul by Glenn Loovens on Nwankwo Kanu gives Sulley Muntari (the chance to shoot. His left-foot drive is parried by Peter Enckelman but Kanu can't quite turn the rebound home.

14 mins: Cardiff have another sniff of glory when Whittingham's shot from just inside the area is deflected out of play by his teammate Parry.

13 mins: That was a great chance for Cardiff but the Pompey keeper is not England's No1 for nothing!

12 mins: Pompey's defence are caught napping a little as Parry gets in behind them after Ledley pulls the strings again with a neat pass, but James is out quickly to snuff out the danger.

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11 mins: Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink is put through after a great ball over the top from Ledley but there is a little too much weight on the pass and the ball skids out of play.

10 mins: Cardiff have looked sharp so far and there is a break in the play.

9 mins: Niko Kranjcar, who grabbed the only goal (at West Ham) when Portsmouth last won a game, brings the ball clear and passes to Pedro Mendes but the ball is cut out by Joe Ledley.

8 mins: Glen Johnson is fed by Kanu on the right and he manages to get in a cross but it's deflected away from the penalty area.

7 mins: The black shirts of the Bluebirds have settled well and they are taking the game to Portmsouth. Sol Campbell cuts out a nice through-ball from Stephen McPhail as the Welsh side try to eke out an opening.

6 mins: Portsmouth clear the corner and break swiftly, but City track back well and the danger is averted.

5 mins: Tony Capaldi's long throw puts Cardiff deep inside the Portsmouth area and Mendes heads out for the game's first corner.

4 mins: It's an open game so far. Portsmouth are passing well.

3 mins: David James reacts quickly to intercept a long ball intended for Cardiff's Paul Parry.

2 mins: Lassana Diarra gets Portsmouth off to a bright start with a good run deep into the heart of the Cardiff defence. He is tripped by Peter Whittingham and they win a free-kick from 35 yards. Sulley Muntari hits a hopeful shot which iPeter Enckelman saves comfortably.

1 min: Portsmouth get us under way in the first FA Cup final for 17 years that doesn't feature a member of the Premier League's 'big four'. Portsmouth are the bookies' odds-on favourites and Cardiff are trying to become the first club from outside the top division to win the Cup since West ham over-turned Arsenal 1-0 in 1980.

There was no place for Robbie Fowler on the Cardiff bench for today's FA Cup final against Portsmouth at Wembley.

Fowler, a winner of the competition with Liverpool in 2001, was left out of the 16-man squad as Dave Jones named the same side which defeated Barnsley a fortnight ago, while 17-year-old prodigy Aaron Ramsey was named among the Bluebirds' substitutes.

David James, Sol Campbell and Sulley Muntari all returned to Pompey's starting line-up, with boss Harry Redknapp opting to play Kanu alone up front.

Portsmouth v Cardiff

Portsmouth: James, Johnson, Campbell, Distin, Hreidarsson,

Utaka, Pedro Mendes, Diarra, Muntari, Kranjcar, Kanu. Subs:

Ashdown, Diop, Baros, Nugent, Pamarot.

Cardiff: Enckelman, McNaughton, Johnson, Loovens, Capaldi,

Ledley, Rae, McPhail, Whittingham, Parry, Hasselbaink. Subs:

Oakes, Purse, Sinclair, Thompson, Ramsey.

Referee: Mike Dean (Wirral)