Match commentary: West Brom 0-1 Portsmouth

Last updated: 5th April 2008

FA CUP itv

Full time It is all over here as Portsmouth book their place in the final. Bad luck for West Brom who were by the far the better side, but well done to Harry Redknapp and his men. The favourites progress.

95 mins - Last chance A late corner for West Brom, Dean Kiely is coming up - Kim takes but it is poor and Pompey clear.

94 mins - Breakaway Pompey look to break away as Diarra plays in Nugent - but he fires over, but will it matter as Howard Webb looks at his watch.

Added time Three minutes of added time here.

90 mins - Quiet Well what do I know! The game is far from frantic as Pompey look to take all the pace out of the game and they are doing it well. Play up Pompey! Is all you can here around Wembley!

87 mins - Big finish! West Brom are seeing a lot of the ball as Pompey are happy to play on the break - we are set for a frantic finale here.

Attendance 83,583 people at Wembley today!

84 mins - Miller time? Brilliant play by Hoefkens - who has arguably been the best player on the pitch - cross in low to the six-yard box, he finds Miller but he side foots it wide, he should have hit the target.

83 mins - Another Kiely stop Kiely has been great for West Brom and he is there again to save, this time from Nugent as he was sent clear by Kranjcar.

81 mins - Last change Final sub of the day sees goalscorer Kanu come off and he is replaced by Sean Davis as Pompey look to take what they have got.

80 mins - Wasteful Miller has seen plenty of the ball since coming on and he has a good chance to cross but he sends it behind when well placed on the right flank. Poor.

Close finish Still you guys cannot make your minds up - Scott Treagust in Australia thinks Pompey are going to throw this away but Josh Eveson does not see anyway back for The Baggies. graeme.bailey@bskyb.com

77 mins - Good stop Miller shakes off the challenge of Campbell and breaks into the box he looks to find Phillips with cross but James plucks it out of the air. Miller should have looked for Kim who was free just 12 yards out.

76 mins - Wide Chanes at either end, this time it is for Pompey as Muntari breaks clear of two challenges but he fires wide with only Kiley to beat from edge of the box.

75 mins - Last throw of the Baggies dice Gera comes off and is replaced by Korean Kim.

74 mins - Off the bar So unlucky from Robert Koren. Great run from Hoefkens as he beats three or four challenges before squaring it for Koren and his shot smashes agains the bar and over. So unlucky.

73 mins - Close Long ball over the top looks for Phillips - Hermann Hreidarsson slips but James is there just to cut it out - close for West Brom.

72 mins - Pompey change David Nugent is on for Baros.

70 mins - Trying to make amends After a little lull in play, Gera tries his best to find a way back in the game as he wins the ball in midfield but fires well over. West Brom looking better now.

65 mins - Shocking miss Wonderful football from Pompey, Johnson feeds Kranjcar who comes forward - he feeds Baros who dummies Kiley but then fires at the keeper - awful miss and the game should have be won then!

64 mins - Great run Brilliant work from Johnson on the right - for the first time he beats his man and crosses low into the box - but nobody is there when it only needed a touch.

Either way You all still think it could go either way. Kim Richardson in Orange County is backing the Baggies, but Mandy Gurnett in Spain thinks it is going to be Pompey who go through. graeme.bailey@bskyb.com

61 mins - Double change Mowbray has changed this here, Chris Brunt is on for Morrison and Ismael Miller is on for Bednar.

Hand-ball? Replays are showing that Baros may have handled the ball when he shot for the goal. Possible controversy here.

60 mins - Stopped Game has been stopped as Diarra needs treatment.

58 mins - Break Portsmouth in again, this time Muntari beats Koren to the ball, he pulls it back for Kranjcar but his shot is well wide.

57 mins - Shell-shocked Tony Mowbray is now up on his feet trying to get his side going - they are shell-shocked at the moment and need to get themselves going.

Mystic Alan! Our friend Alan Green predicted one goal would do it - just before Kanu pounced! He could very well be right!

What now Baggies? Come on Baggies fan - can your side come back ionto it? graeme.bailey@bskyb.com

54 mins - GOAL!! Kanu, typical as he strikes against his former club. One long ball over the top finds Baros, he shoots and Kiely makes a great save. Then Kiely is set to collect the ball but Gera tries to clear but he only succeeds in finding Kanu four-yards out and he side-foots home! What a mess for West Brom and from nothing Pompey have the lead!

51 mins - Awful Pompey are struggling again they need something to get the going. The ball comes for Baros and it comes off him and goes straight out which sums up their general play.

Keep them coming I want your comments still for this second-half! graeme.bailey@bskyb.com

48 mins - Fancy stuff Muntari and Niko Kranjcar are trying to force it in midfield but the Croat flicks it out of play - poor from him as he has been for the opening 48 minutes.

47 mins - Corner This time Robinson is in action at the over end as he is forced to put challenge Baros and give away a corner. Lasssina Diarra takes but Pompey are forced back to their own half and the chance is gone. Poor.

46 mins - early attack West Brom have carried on from where they left off as James is forced to punch a Robinson cross clear, it is not convincing and Pompey scramble clear. Not a great start.

Second-half The teams are back out and we are ready to go, neither side looks to have made a change. Here we go, one side could be 45 minutes away from the FA Cup final.

Rallying call The Baggies faithful are backing their boys - like Mark Ypelaar from Toronto who is backing his side to take the cup home like they did in 1968.

Worry It is the Pompey fans who are worrying at the moment - one of which is Joe Mann in New Zealand, but he is still hopeful of a 2-0 win.

Half-time The whistle goes and Pompey boss Harry Redknapp will be happy to his troops in at the break whilst Baggies boss Tony Mowbray will be hoping his side do not regret not taking their chances.

45 mins - Owwch! Another crunching challenge from Robinson this time as he heads the ball and takes no prisoners and he goes through Bouba Diop - he works his way gingerly to the sidelines.

44 mins - Better from Pompey Portsmouth are spending more time in West Brom's half now and Muntari tries his luck from the edge of the box but it is never troubling Kiely - but more positive.

43 mins - Denied Muntari leads a Pompey break but he wants far too much time on the ball and Gera comes back to slide in and deny him - sloppy stuff from the Ghana midfielder.

Foreign black-out Seems some of you are logging on as you have lost pictures - like Pompey fan Peter Digby in the Philippines. But dont worry you wont miss anything here.

41 mins - Nice move Good work from Pompey on the edge of the box as Kanu chips the ball over the West Brom defence looking for Baros but it is just too far. Unlucky from the Nigerian maestro.

Quiet again Well I think the nerves are getting to you watching Pompey and West Brom fans as you have gone quiet! What can we expect here? Is a penalty shoot-out looking more likely? graeme.bailey@bskyb.com

39 mins - More defence into attack Distin again is away on a long run, he finds Kanu and looks for the return but he runs towards the box instead of down the line - where Kanu plays it!

37 mins - Calamity let off James spills a ball which comes into the box and he manages to get down to the feet of Phillips and claim it - let off for the England keeper.

35 mins - Booked Baros goes into the box for bringing the ball down with his hand, but instead of stopping he goes on and unleashes the ball over the bar - which is what he is booked for rather than the hand ball.

34 mins - Sol shining Campbell and Distin have both had to be at their best here. Campbell is again called into action as Hoefkens floats a ball into the box but the former Spurs man rising high and heads clear.

33 mins - Worried Harry Redknapp is up on his feet on the touchline and he looks very worried at the moment, and he has every right to as his team have been played off the back for most of the half.

32 mins - Distin attacks Ditsin has seen enough and brings the ball out from defence, he goes unchallenged and looks for Baros, the Frenchman continues to the edge of the box where gets the ball back and looks for the cross, but West Brom manage to clear.

30 mins - Save Muntari lines up a free-kick 30-yards out but he has a go and finds the target but Kiely does well to hold it.

Baggies to win We have more pro-West Brom reaction now, with Theo from Greece thinking The Baggies will take it. Whilst Alan Green's cable has packed up and he wants more news, well we have a Pompey free-kick coming up Alan.

27 mins - Still all West Brom Portsmouth just cannot get out of their half here - you would really say West Brom are the Premier League side on this evidence.

25 mins - Morrison opens door? Morrison runs at Glen Johnson and wins free-kick just 30-yards out but out wide. West Brom pack the box as Neil Clement whips it in - Pompey clear but only as far as Gera, but his shot is well over.

24 mins - Pompey break The Premier League side break clear at pace, Muntari feeds Baros in the box, he comes inside but the Czech ace cannot get his shot away - a bit of a let off for West Brom.

22 mins - Possession West Brom are playing keep ball at times here. Great to watch but not too many chances coming at the moment.

Comments Your mails are coming in thick and fast so I will try and get through them. Mark from Portsmouth thinks his side are going to cruise to a 3-0 win, whilst Kieran feels his Baggies will earn the victory - but only after penalties! That is a reminder folks that we could have extra-time and penalties today! graeme.bailey@bskyb.com

19 mins - Close call Baggies play a high line and catch Baros offside - close call but it looked right.

17 mins - Crunch Great tackle from Paul Robinson in centre circle as Pompey look to clear - he took out both Sulley Muntari and Diop.

15 mins - Pompey chance Free-kick for Pompey 30-yards out, it is swung into the box but Papa Bouba Diop is blown up for a foul in the box.

12 mins - Down Carl Hoefkens is down and needing treament after physical challenge from Kanu who also went through Jonathan Greening.

10 mins - More pressure More good work down the right by West Brom as Gera and Robert Koren combine before finding Phillips at the back post but his header is tame and Pompey clear.

8 mins - Long ball Milan Baros is almost sent clear as he looks to latch onto a long ball over the top but it is just too strong and it bounces through to Dean Kiely.

Wow! Well Pompey have been caught cold here and The Baggies are dominating in midfield. Remember to get in touch with your views. graeme.bailey@bskyb.com

6 mins - Scrambled clear Brilliant start by West Brom who are playing some great football. The ball is worked to Zoltan Gera and he fires a drive at James, who cannot hold the ball and Sol Campbell is needed to hack clear.

4 mins - Over First shot of the game comes from West Brom and it is the ubiquitous Phillips who fires just over David James' bar.

3 mins - First attack Kanu counters for Pompey against his old side but Martin Albrechtson tackles him and clears.

3 mins - Good start The Baggies have certainly made a bright start and Morrison again is on the run this time looking for Kevin Phillips - but Pompey clear their lines.

2 mins - Early push Good early move by West Brom as James Morrison looks for Roman Bednar in the box but the Czech cannot hold onto the ball when well placed.

Upset So what do you think viewers - are we in for an upset or will Portsmouth come out on top? send me your views - graeme.bailey@bskyb.com

Kick-off Howard Webb blows his whistle to get the match under way with Portsmouth - in all blue - kicking us off.

Atmosphere Over 30,000 fans for each side here and the noice is amazing. A mouthwatering prospect we have here.

West Brom Kiely, Hoefkens, Albrechtsen, Clement, Robinson, Morrison, Koren, Gera, Greening, Bednar, Phillips. Subs: Danek, Kim, Miller, Pele, Brunt.

Portsmouth James, Johnson, Campbell, Distin, Hreidarsson, Diarra, Diop, Muntari, Kranjcar, Kanu, Baros. Subs: Ashdown, Lauren, Nugent, Davis, Pedro Mendes.

Team news Both teams have been confirmed

Welcome to skysports.com's live coverage of the first FA Cup semi-final between Portsmouth v West Brom live from Wembley. Can we have the first ever cup final without a team from the top-flight or will the favourites Pompey do it? Please get in touch with your thoughts, predictions, observations and/or comments - you can get in touch at graeme.bailey@bskyb.com.