Jonathan Greening helped Fulham snap their run of five successive Premier League defeats against Portsmouth.
Fulham halt losing sequence with narrow success
Jonathan Greening helped Fulham snap their run of five successive Premier League defeats to climb back into the top half of the table and pile more misery on troubled Portsmouth.
The midfielder slotted home the only goal of a disappointing encounter in the 74th minute to leave the visitors rooted at the foot of the table.
Damien Duff showed good perseverance to regain possession in the box after Erik Nevland's slack return pass and Steve Finnan could only direct the winger's low cross into the path of the waiting Greening.
New loan signing Stefano Okaka missed a glorious opportunity in the first half when he nodded wide from point-blank range with the goal at his mercy after Greening had headed back Bobby Zamora's excellent cross.
Avram Grant's side created chances of their own but a lack of composure from both Frederic Piquionne and Aruna Dindane when facing Mark Schwarzer saw them leave West London with nothing to show for their efforts.
And things are likely to get worse before they get better for Pompey, as Grant must now rally his beleaguered troops for a trip to Manchester United on Saturday.
Even a win for Portsmouth - who have lost four from the last seven - would not have been enough to lift them off the foot of the table.
Tested
However, it was a bright start by the visitors, as Kevin-Prince Boateng tested Fulham keeper Schwarzer with an angled drive.
Pompey continued to have the better of the opening exchanges and Piquionne almost got on the end of a quick counter-attack as Fulham failed to deal with the ball on what was fast becoming a skiddy surface.
The Portsmouth striker should have done better when sent clear on 12 minutes, but Schwarzer stood up well to make the save.
Boateng caught hold of a loose ball 22 yards out, which flew just the wrong side of the keeper's right-hand post.
Fulham could not retain possession in midfield, and struggled to get out of their own half for long spells. However, it needed a fine one-handed save from England keeper David James to deny Aaron Hughes as his header at the back post from a corner was creeping in.
Boateng skipped into the Fulham box, and was unfortunate to see his shot take a deflection which allowed Schwarzer to make the save.
Okaka then somehow missed a glorious chance to score on his debut. A deep cross from the left was nodded back across goal by Greening, with the ball falling to Okaka at the far post.
Breakthrough
However, no more than two yards out and with the goal at his mercy, the on-loan Italian inexplicably guided the ball wide.
Portsmouth almost took the lead on 52 minutes when Dindane's far-post header from a deep corner was beaten away by Schwarzer.
Duff weaved into space for a shot from the edge of the Pompey penalty area, which was deflected behind, before Zamora could not get any power on his header at the back post as he met a deep cross from the right flank.
The Fulham striker then glanced the ball wide as the home side pressed again.
Fulham finally got the breakthrough on 74 minutes when Greening converted at the far post after Duff dispossessed Nadir Belhadj and put the ball across the six-yard box.
To their credit, Pompey continued to go forwards, and Grant sent on former Arsenal striker Quincy Owusu-Abeyie, on loan from Spartak Moscow, for the closing stages.
However, Fulham saw out the remaining five minutes to end their losing streak and heap more woe on Pompey.
| Fulham |
Team Statistics |
Portsmouth |
| 1 |
Goals |
0 |
| 0 |
1st Half Goals |
0 |
| 4 |
Shots on Target |
5 |
| 7 |
Shots off Target |
5 |
| 6 |
Blocked Shots |
4 |
| 5 |
Corners |
5 |
| 12 |
Fouls |
13 |
| 1 |
Offsides |
1 |
| 0 |
Yellow Cards |
1 |
| 0 |
Red Cards |
0 |
| 71.8 |
Passing Success |
75.6 |
| 19 |
Tackles |
20 |
| 73.7 |
Tackles Success |
75 |
| 48.4 |
Possession |
51.6 |
| 51.2 |
Territorial Advantage |
48.8 |
|
