FOOTBALL Live

Saturday May 9, 2009 Finished Ewood Park

2 - 0

Blackburn Rovers

  • Pedersen 31’
  • McCarthy 58’ (pen.)

Portsmouth

51 comments | Write your comment

  1. Blackburn secure safety

    Blackburn secure safety

    Blackburn Rovers beat Portsmouth 2-0 at Ewood Park to guarantee their participation in the Premier League next season. More

  • Live Commentary

    Time:90'
    • Blackburn Rovers
    • Portsmouth
    • 90+3' After not a lot of action in the final moments ref Riley puts his whistle to his lips and signals the end of this one - and Blackburn's survival in the Premier League.
    • 90' We enter injury-time.
    • 88' A brutal blow to Hart's side after they fought their way back into it. They deserve some credit for that.
    • 87' UTAKA SKIES IT OVER THE TOP CORNER!! Portsmouth will definitely not score today: I guarantee it.
    • 86' Penalty for Pompey!! Kanu's cross is handled by Andrews - the midfielder was turning his back but it hit him on the hand!!
    • 85' Crouch fails to win a free-kick then gives one away by reacting.
    • 84' Johnson sidesteps two defenders from the kick and bangs a shot... into the shins of a defender.
    • 84' Blackburn change: Aaron Mokoena on for McCarthy. A defender for a striker.
    • 83' When they win the ball and come forward, captain Nelsen simply smashes into Utaka - that should have been a card.
    • 82' Blackburn stalling the play to prevent any further attacking endeavour from the away side.
    • 80' Pennant waltzing through defenders like they aren't there but his chipped cross is behind the far post.
    • 79' Corner to Pompey after another promising attack down the right. When it is teed up for Mullins, he has a wild dig from 35 yards: those on row Z are diving out the way of that one.
    • 78' McCarthy tries to drag the ball back just over halfway and loses it to Distin. Again, poor from Rovers.
    • 77' Blackburn struggling to get the ball under control in the opposition half.
    • 76' You get the feeling that they aren't going to score today. There is time yet, however.
    • 74' Ryan Nelsen with a goal-line clearance!! Kanu threaded a ball through for Utaka, who rounded Robinson... his shot though from the left was weak and the New Zealander blocked it flying back to defend.
    • 73' Pompey have a renewed attacking impetus. They are attacking in numbers.
    • 72' James drops another one, but Samba fouled him so it is perhaps not his fault. He isn't inspiring confidence in his defence though.
    • 71' Pennant tearing down the right, squaring for Crouch to try an acrobatic volley 18 yards out... and his miskick brings cheers and jeers from the home fans.
    • 70' But wait... Crouch out to Pennant on the right... he sends a cross-shot low to the far post where Hreidarsson just misses it by the upright!! As close as they have come so far. Unlucky.
    • 69' The sun is out and this time seems set to stay for a while. Can it bring a ray of hope for Pompey? I doubt it.
    • 68' James mishandles again. He is not looking at his best in these last few weeks.
    • 66' Andrews with a cross that takes a slight deflection and loops down for James to claim.
    • 65' Before that Crouch almost found a way through the Blackburn backline. And now a cross is too long for the south coast club.
    • 64' Pompey's final change: Jermaine Pennant on for Kaboul.
    • 63' Samba heads wide from a Pedersen cross six yards out!!
    • 62' Pompey head it away. They don't look like scoring any time soon, I'm afraid to say.
    • 61' Diouf wins a free-kick in a promising position after Campbell shoved into him. And the sun comes out!! And goes back in again. Boo...
    • 60' Crouch upended in the box but Riley waves it away - there was not much of an appeal but it looked dodgy to me...
    • 59' Hreidarsson attacks down the left. He has been in the thick of it today: see his player profile here.
    • 58' McCarthy sends James the wrong way from the spot - 2-0!!
    • 57' Blackburn penalty!! Hreidarsson with a clear handball. It is difficult to understand what he was doing there.
    • 56' It is Kanu's 100th appearance from the bench in the Premier League: the most of any player in its history. here he makes a hash of controlling the ball with the goal opening up.
    • 55' Riley is blowing up for a few fouls now as it gets really scrappy.
    • 54' Unless he has a knock, it is a shame for Belhadj: he has played okay.
    • 53' Double Pompey change: Kanu and John Utaka on for Hughes and Belhadj.
    • 52' It is put behind for another corner. Diouf's ball in is headed home by Samba; it doesn't count. He and Campbell had their arms wrapped around one another: but naturally the ref favours the defender.
    • 51' Pedersen with a decent strike for goal that deflects off Vincenzo Grella's back and flies out for a corner.
    • 50' Davis with a loose pass to allow Blackburn to attack again. He then fouls Samba to give them a free-kick 40 yards out.
    • 49' Diouf crosses for McCarthy to challenge a few yards out, but he is crowded out.
    • 48' Good passing play from Blackburn on the left, but ultimately it goes back to Robinson.
    • 47' Warnock misses a golden chance! Pedersen's throw into the area was flicked on by Samba and the left-back arrived to volley with his right foot wide of the far post!!
    • 47' Hayden Mullins plays the ball inside for Pompey team-mate Richard Hughes to strike for goal... low and poor.
    • 46' Rovers kicking to our right in the second half.
    • 45+4' The first half ends, 1-0 to Blackburn thanks to Pedersen.
    • 45+3' Keith Andrews booked as the clock moves past the allotted time to be added on. Pompey's long ball into the danger area is not a successful one.
    • 45+2' Diouf attacks a low cross in from the right but is just beaten to it and James claims the loose ball.
    • 45+1' Tugay with a nice ball for Diouf out wide, but he has to get his skates on... and Belhadj is lightning quick to get back and dispossess him.
    • 45+1' Samba through on goal.... but the flag is up. He was half a yard off.
    • 45' A hopeful ball into the home box is cleared easily by Blackburn. Two minutes to be added on.
    • 44' McCarthy hurt in an aerial challenge with Hreidarsson. He caught him with an elbow and is lucky not to be booked.
    • 43' Hreidarsson rises to head down a lofted free-kick from 15 yards out which has Robinson scrambling across his goal-line. It is just wide.
    • 42' McCarthy flagged for offside.
    • 41' Rovers playing the better football, although Pompey have tried to knock it about too. Some games just don't reward such endeavour, and this is one of them.
    • 40' It is a brave man who stands up to Kaboul's shot from 30 yards out - and one such man exists in the Rovers wall, but I didn't see who it was. Sorry.
    • 39' Crouch and Pedersen again involved in an altercation, the latter clumping the England man after he turned with the ball. For some reason the Norwegian is not happy with the award of a free-kick...
    • 38' In truth, both these sides should be safe even if they lose. See the table for yourself here.
    • 37' Crouch has a moan after referee Mike Riley penalises him for a foul on Pedersen. Earlier Davis also complained about the ref.
    • 36' James fails to hold another one under pressure from Samba, but this time the big man is correctly adjudged to have kicked him.
    • 34' Blackburn have renewed confidence, passing the ball about. Pompey look to regain shape.
    • 33' Allardyce chews gum on the touchline, having seen his side take the lead. Samba up front looks like a real masterstroke - like Paul Warhurst for Sheffield Wednesday all those years ago.
    • 32' It was controversial: Warnock's long diagonal ball towards the far post was not dealt with by James and as Samba dived in on him, the ball fell to Pedersen; but did Samba touch the ball with his studs, or just go through the keeper?
    • 31' GOAL FOR BLACKBURN!! Pedersen pokes home from inside the six-yard box!!
    • 29' BLACKBURN ALMOST SCORE A LOVELY GOAL!! El-Hadji Diouf finds McCarthy who backheels down the line for Warnock; his low cross is directed just wide of the far post by the arriving Diouf.
    • 28' Johnson beaten in the air and Campbell has to sweep up to pass back to James.
    • 27' Very little by way of chances so far then, just a couple of brief sights of goal for McCarthy in Blackburn's attack.
    • 26' Belhadj and Sean Davis looking to play their way down the left, repelled by the home defence.
    • 25' Hermann Hreidarsson heads out for a Rovers throw. Pedersen chucks it in, but Samba fails to react in time to make anything of it.
    • 24' Tugay looks for Pedersen with a long raking ball, but it is headed out. The veteran has said he is retiring this summer; see his career stats by clicking here.
    • 22' Kaboul looking to skip away from Morten Gamst Pedersen; when the ball is put into touch Kaboul gets the decision - it looked like he kicked it out.
    • 21' McCarthy arriving at the back stick and is a little late to to get his head on the ball. The travelling Pompey band making a racket and driving all fans near them mad; but at least it lends the match some atmosphere.
    • 20' Better football from Portsmouth. Allardyce's team are nothing if not solid, though.
    • 19' Belhadj out to the left and when the cross comes in for Pompey, the ball is chested up for Gael Givet to head back to Robinson.
    • 18' Portsmouth stand firm but it is Rovers who have had the better of the territorial possession so far.
    • 17' Hart urges his Pompey team further up the field from his position on the touchline. Kaboul almost sneaks through two markers near the right-hand corner flag, but Rovers break...
    • 16' For Samba's profile, click here.
    • 15' Samba shows some silky feet for once to send the ball out wide. The centre-half is featuring up front again, of course.
    • 14' A fiery match - in other words, dirty - as Rovers hurl in a long throw... defended by Hart's side.
    • 12' Christopher Samba slides in on Kaboul and catches the Frenchman late after he lost the ball looking to volley at goal.
    • 11' Pompey head clear and moments later Nadir Belhadj is very close to controlling a looping ball in the other penalty area as Paul Robinson comes out to collect.
    • 10' McCarthy twists away from Campbell and looks to centre... the ball deflects off the defender and Portsmouth keeper James sees it out as it hits the outside of the post!! Corner kick.
    • 9' Along with David James, Campbell has played the most minutes of any Pompey player this season. See his player profile here.
    • 8' Warnock advances beyond the penalty area and squares low for the arriving strikers, but Sol Campbell stands tall to intercept and play the ball out of defence.
    • 7' Pompey full-back Glen Johnson, a doubt for today's game, piles into Stephen Warnock and earns a yellow card too.
    • 6' And the South African is booked for the tackle, deservedly so.
    • 5' Kaboul is down hurt after a late studs-up challenge by McCarthy.
    • 4' Younes Kaboul sprinting down the right touchline, put over the advertising hoarding by a home defender. Play is brought back for a throw-in to Rovers.
    • 3' A quick start to this match, with both teams going at it for the point they need to guarantee safety.
    • 2' Crouch wins a corner for Portsmouth after an attack down the left, but it comes to nothing.
    • 1' Blackburn striker Benni McCarthy appeals for handball in the box against Sylvain Distin, but it is rather hopeful.
    • 1' We are underway in Lancashire, Rovers kicking from right to left in traditional blue and white halves while Pompey are in all black.
    • - Pompey have failed to score in their last three Premier League matches.
    • - Portsmouth have won none of their last 11 Premier League away games and failed to score in their last three Premier League matches.
    • - Rovers have only lost one of the nine home Premier League matches under Sam Allardyce.
    • - Only one of the 11 Premier League games between Pompey and Rovers has ended as a draw. Eight of the 10 victories have been by a one-goal margin.
    • - Blackburn Rovers and Portsmouth are one win away from guaranteeing Premier League safety and go head-to-head this afternoon at Ewood Park.

  • Team Stats

    Blackburn Rovers Stats Portsmouth
    51% Possession 49%
    12 Shots 9
    3 Shots on target 1
    0 Saves 1
    4 Corners 3
    12 Fouls 21
    5 Offsides 0
    2 Yellow cards 1
    0 Red cards 0
    14 Tackles 17
    266 Accurate passes 266
    54 Bad passes 36

  • Player Stats

    G =
    Goals
    S =
    Shots
    SoT =
    Shot on Target
    F =
    Fouls
    FW =
    Fouls Won
    O =
    Offsides
    A =
    Assists
    AP =
    Accurate Passes
    BP =
    Bad Passes
    T =
    Tackles
    • Blackburn Rovers
      G S SoT F FW O A AP BP T
      1 Paul Robinson 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 13 4 0
      3 Stephen Warnock 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 24 5 1
      21 Gaël Givet 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 29 7 0
      4 Christopher Samba 0 3 0 11 1 4 0 18 3 0
      6 Ryan Nelsen 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 20 1 1
      5 Kerimoglou Tugay 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 46 8 1
      17 Keith Andrews 0 0 0 4 1 0 0 27 0 2
      12 Morten Gamst Pedersen 1 4 1 2 2 0 0 13 11 3
      11 Vincenzo Grella 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 34 3 5
      18 El Hadji Diouf 0 2 1 1 3 0 0 20 5 1
      10 Benedict McCarthy 1 2 1 1 1 1 0 19 7 0
      15 Aaron Mokoena 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0
      38 Mark Bunn 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      13 Zurab Khizanishvili 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      29 Martin Olsson 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      24 Keith Treacy 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      19 Carlos Villanueva 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      39 Aaron Doran 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
    • Portsmouth
      G S SoT F FW O A AP BP T
      1 David James 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 18 3 0
      7 Hermann Hreidarsson 0 1 0 2 1 0 0 23 6 1
      3 Younes Kaboul 0 1 0 0 3 0 0 14 0 2
      5 Glen Johnson 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 20 2 1
      39 Nadir Belhadj 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 17 3 2
      15 Sylvain Distin 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 16 3 0
      23 Sol Campbell 0 0 0 1 4 0 0 22 0 2
      6 Hayden Mullins 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 31 6 2
      28 Sean Davis 0 0 0 3 1 0 0 42 4 4
      22 Richard Hughes 0 1 1 2 2 0 0 15 4 3
      9 Peter Crouch 0 1 0 4 1 0 0 22 2 0
      14 Jermaine Pennant 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 7 0 0
      31 Asmir Begovic 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      10 David Nugent 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      27 Nwankwo Kanu 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 14 2 0
      20 Martin Cranie 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      17 John Utaka 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 5 1 0
      33 Angelos Basinas 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

  • Summary

    • 87' UTAKA SKIES IT OVER THE TOP CORNER!! Portsmouth will definitely not score today: I guarantee it.
    • 86' Penalty for Pompey!! Kanu's cross is handled by Andrews - the midfielder was turning his back but it hit him on the hand!!
    • 74' Ryan Nelsen with a goal-line clearance!! Kanu threaded a ball through for Utaka, who rounded Robinson... his shot though from the left was weak and the New Zealander blocked it flying back to defend.
    • 63' Samba heads wide from a Pedersen cross six yards out!!
    • 60' Crouch upended in the box but Riley waves it away - there was not much of an appeal but it looked dodgy to me...
    • 58' McCarthy sends James the wrong way from the spot - 2-0!!
    • 57' Blackburn penalty!! Hreidarsson with a clear handball. It is difficult to understand what he was doing there.
    • 52' It is put behind for another corner. Diouf's ball in is headed home by Samba; it doesn't count. He and Campbell had their arms wrapped around one another: but naturally the ref favours the defender.
    • 47' Warnock misses a golden chance! Pedersen's throw into the area was flicked on by Samba and the left-back arrived to volley with his right foot wide of the far post!!
    • 43' Hreidarsson rises to head down a lofted free-kick from 15 yards out which has Robinson scrambling across his goal-line. It is just wide.
    • 32' It was controversial: Warnock's long diagonal ball towards the far post was not dealt with by James and as Samba dived in on him, the ball fell to Pedersen; but did Samba touch the ball with his studs, or just go through the keeper?
    • 31' GOAL FOR BLACKBURN!! Pedersen pokes home from inside the six-yard box!!
    • 29' BLACKBURN ALMOST SCORE A LOVELY GOAL!! El-Hadji Diouf finds McCarthy who backheels down the line for Warnock; his low cross is directed just wide of the far post by the arriving Diouf.
    • 10' McCarthy twists away from Campbell and looks to centre... the ball deflects off the defender and Portsmouth keeper James sees it out as it hits the outside of the post!! Corner kick.

Live Team Line-Up

  • Referee: Mike Riley

  • Blackburn Rovers

    Manager: Sam Allardyce

    Captain: Ryan Nelsen

    Starting line-up

    • P. Robinson
    • K. Andrews Yellow Card
    • R. Nelsen
    • G. Givet
    • S. Warnock
    • E. Diouf
    • K. Tugay
    • V. Grella
    • M. Pedersen Goal
    • C. Samba
    • B. McCarthy Yellow Card Substitution Out (84′)

    Subs

    • A. Mokoena Substitution In84′
    • Z. Khizanishvili
    • K. Treacy
    • C. Villanueva
    • M. Olsson
    • M. Bunn
    • D. Aaron

    Injured

    • R. Santa Cruz
    • D. Dunn
    • J. Roberts
    • B. Emerton
    • S. Reid

    Suspended

    None

  • Portsmouth

    Manager: Paul Hart

    Captain: Sol Campbell

    Starting line-up

    • D. James
    • G. Johnson Yellow Card
    • Y. Kaboul Substitution Out (64′)
    • S. Campbell
    • S. Distin
    • H. Hreidarsson
    • S. Davis
    • R. Hughes Substitution Out (53′)
    • H. Mullins
    • N. Belhadj Substitution Out (53′)
    • P. Crouch

    Subs

    • J. Pennant Substitution In64′
    • N. Kanu Substitution In53′
    • A. Basinas
    • J. Utaka Substitution In53′
    • M. Cranie
    • D. Nugent
    • A. Begovic

    Injured

    • J. Ashdown
    • P. Bouba Diop
    • N. Kranjcar
    • T. Gekas
    • A. Traore

    Suspended

    • N. Pamarot

Comment 32 - 51 of 51

Sort comments by: Most recent

  1. u yahoo wan*ers said mc Carthy was injured and then he­ starts and fuc*ing scores u thick fu*k

    From ian.mitchell74, on Sat 9 May 7:55PM

  2. WELL I NOW LIVE IN THE PHILIPPINES X SEASON TICKET­ HOLDER WHAT A RESULT ITS JUST MADE MY NIGHT, TOO ALL­ THE ROVERS FANS TIME TO PARTY WERE STAYING UP

    From craig w, on Sat 9 May 7:21PM

  3. Pompey played off the park and Stevie Warnock had a­ shocker for the first time this season. Not sure why­ McCarthy got MOTM, Keith Andrews played a blinder­ today. And a goal for Gamst.......'we are staying­ up'

    From go_on_brett, on Sat 9 May 6:45PM

  4. FEED CHRISTIAN TO THE LIONS.................KNOBHEAD

    From go_on_brett, on Sat 9 May 6:25PM
  5. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    who cares about blackbun wining

    From Christian, on Sat 9 May 5:21PM

  6. hahahahaha skates on there way down. next year coca­ cola here you go

    From roger m, on Sat 9 May 5:21PM
  7. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    liverpool is the best in the world

    From Christian, on Sat 9 May 5:20PM
  8. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    liverpool is the best in the world

    From Christian, on Sat 9 May 5:18PM

  9. From a PNE fan in Portugal Well done Blackburn

    From j_sowter, on Sat 9 May 5:00PM

  10. Pompey are loosers just miss a pen hide and wide

    From c, on Sat 9 May 4:50PM

  11. wheres the live table gone, yahoo can be absolute­ garbage at times

    From scott b, on Sat 9 May 4:28PM

  12. Black burn all the way. Hold em off

    From Free bet www.freebets.co.za, on Sat 9 May 4:18PM

  13. who cares about liverpool its blackburn v portsmouth

    From dianesellars, on Sat 9 May 4:15PM

  14. Come on Robinson...........you are the former England­ best keeper............don't give any single chance­ 4 balls to pass through you..................Blackburn­ Rovers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Go and get them..........

    From Zul Khairi Zahari, on Sat 9 May 4:11PM
  15. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Liverpool are going to WIN!

    From Christian, on Sat 9 May 4:09PM

  16. Rovers gotta keep this up. If we win lets hope Hull and­ Sunderland win too. Send the Toon down, Come on Rovers

    From Chris, on Sat 9 May 4:08PM
  17. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    watch'it online for free at Quickmoviez(dot)TK

    From xavier, on Sat 9 May 4:05PM

  18. why cant we play paul gallagher now plymouths season­ has finished??? surely if wer short of strikers we cud­ use him.. and hes in scoring form too

    From paulwhite783, on Sat 9 May 3:57PM

  19. but come on liverpool tonight just but my fenando­ torres on pleasssssseee

    From gary.wendycalveley, on Sat 9 May 3:57PM

  20. come on portsmouth............tale this game as a­ revenge on the red devis...............

    From Zul Khairi Zahari, on Sat 9 May 3:54PM
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