Premier League - Wigan stun Pompey at the death

Eurosport - Sun, 02 Nov 11:25:00 2008

Emile Heskey scored a stoppage time winner for Wigan as they ruined Tony Adams first home game in charge of Portsmouth with a 2-1 victory at Fratton Park.

FOOTBALL Wigan's Egyptian player Amr Zaki scores a penalty against Portsmouth - 0

A goal from Niko Kranjcar eight minutes from time looked to have salvaged Portsmouth a 1-1 draw, with an Amr Zaki penalty just before half-time having given the visitors the lead.

On a miserable day for Pompey, Papa Bouba Diop gave away his second silly penalty of the week and the hosts also hit the woodwork three times as nothing went right for Adams's side.

In terrible conditions, Portsmouth were very flat in the opening stages and could have been behind after just three minutes when Zaki flicked a fantastic header just wide of the top corner after a fine cross from Antonio Valencia.

It was not until the 19th minute that the hosts had their first significant moment as Peter Crouch got his head on a corner, the ball then looped up in the air before dropping onto the crossbar.

Diop also got a good header in from a corner but Wilson Palacios was there on the line to head it clear.

Then, just before half-time, Diop became the villain again, just like he was against Liverpool in midweek, as he lunged in unnecessarily on Titus Bramble after Portsmouth had failed to clear a corner and the referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot.

Zaki stepped up for the penalty and drilled it down the middle for his eight Premier League goal of the season.

Adams made one change at the break with Kranjcar coming on for Armand Traore but the whole Pompey side look livelier after the break.

They laid siege on Chris Kirkland's goal but just could not get the ball in the back of the net.

The chances came thick and fast, Palacios cleared a deflected Kranjcar free-kick off the line and then Crouch put a header wide from a good position.

Kirkland was then harshly charged with a back pass but Defoe couldn't smash the resulting free from six yards out in with 11 Wigan players crammed on the line.

Portsmouth then hit the bar twice within the space of the same attack with Sylvain Distain and Crouch both heading off the bar.

At the other end Valencia chipped home but was ruled to have been just offside in what was a rare Wigan attack.

Kirkland made another great save on 78 minutes when he denied Defoe from close range after another flick on from Crouch, but he was finally beaten by Kranjcar, after a corner found its way out to the Croat on the edge of the area.

There were lots of bodies in front of him but the substitute was able to smash a low drive beneath the bodies and into the net.

The game really opened up in the final stages and that seemed to suit Wigan more as Valencia twice came close on counter attack moves.

Portsmouth were pressing hard for a winner but they were then caught out in stoppage time as Lee Cattermole placed a lovely ball in behind the defence which allowed Heskey to calmly place home for his 100th Premier League goal.

The win moves Wigan out of the relegation zone and up to 16th while Portsmouth drop two places to ninth.

Sean Fay / Eurosport

Comment 1 - 4 of 4

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  1. Diop is showing why Fulham happily sold him on despite his 'promise' and 'potential' haha

    From thechachman, on Sun 2 Nov 11:53AM
  2. about time the latics played rubbish and pinched the points. it's happened enough to them this year

    From gary, on Sat 1 Nov 9:45PM
  3. Let's all go to Senegal... can't be any worse than this bloody dump.

    From Nina G, on Sat 1 Nov 8:14PM
  4. i think papa diop should go back to senegal, his game is outdated and unfashioned for the premier league. two stupid mistakes in two games, what tha @#$%!!!!!!!1

    From microsoft_office77, on Sat 1 Nov 6:42PM
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