Skysports.com looks at how Chelsea and Portsmouth reached Saturday's FA Cup final at Wembley.
Skysports.com looks at how Chelsea and Portsmouth reached Saturday's FA Cup final at Wembley. It's been quite the journey for both clubs.
Skysports.com looks at how Chelsea and Portsmouth reached Saturday's FA Cup final. Portsmouth's road to Wembley saw them make hard work of seeing off Coventry in the third round, while Chelsea were at their bullying best in putting five past Watford. It's been quite the journey for both clubs since, with Chelsea now instilled as odds-on favourites to lift football's oldest club competition.
THIRD ROUND (January 2 & 12, 2010) v Coventry (h) 1-1, (a) 2-1
The Sky Blues took Pompey to a replay after a 1-1 draw at Fratton Park. The Premier League side looked to be heading out at the Ricoh Arena before a last-minute own goal from Stephen Wright sent the tie into extra-time, and just when it looked set for penalties, Aaron Mokoena headed a winner.
FOURTH ROUND (January 23, 2010) v Sunderland (h) 2-1
After hundreds of supporters protested against the club's board outside the ground prior to kick-off, a double from John Utaka sent Pompey through to the last 16 after Darren Bent had given the visitors an early lead.
FIFTH ROUND (February 13, 2010) v Southampton (a) 4-1
After coming close to being put out of business by a winding-up order from HM Revenue and Customs, Pompey put their old rivals to the sword at St Mary's with goals from Quincy Owusu-Abeyie, Aruna Dindane, Nadir Belhadj and Jamie O'Hara.
QUARTER-FINAL (March 6, 2010) v Birmingham (h) 2-0
Pompey, now in administration, secured a bumper £600,000 pay-day as a second-half double from Frederic Piquionne saw off Birmingham to secure a return to Wembley, although Liam Ridgewell had an effort ruled out for the visitors despite the ball appearing to cross the line.
SEMI-FINAL (April 11, 2010) v Tottenham (Wembley) 2-0
After a goalless 90 minutes, Piquionne and Kevin-Prince Boateng's penalty in extra-time sent Pompey, officially relegated from the Premier League the previous day, through to a fairytale appearance in the final and sank former boss Harry Redknapp at Wembley.
Chelsea
THIRD ROUND (January 3, 2010) v Watford (h) W 5-0
A one-sided game kick-started Chelsea's campaign. The Blues were 3-0 up inside 22 minutes with Daniel Sturridge, Florent Malouda scoring either side of a John Eustace own goal. Sturridge and a long-range effort from Frank Lampard completed the scoring against the Championship side.
FOURTH ROUND (January 22, 2010) v Preston (a) W 0-2
Goals either side of the break from Nicolas Anelka and Sturridge ended Preston's resistance and put the Blues into the fifth round. Anelka's opener undid the hosts on the counter-attack while Sturridge pounced after a header from John Terry had been parried into his path.
FIFTH ROUND (February 13, 2010) v Cardiff (h) W 4-1
Championship side Cardiff tried hard to make life difficult for the Blues and succeeded when Michael Chopra cancelled out Didier Drogba's opener. But a second-half onslaught brought Chelsea goals from Michael Ballack, Sturridge, and Salomon Kalou and a place in the last eight.
SIXTH ROUND (March 7, 2010) v Stoke (h) W2-0
Goals from Lampard and a near-post Terry header clinched a place in the last four for Chelsea. Stoke had accounted for Arsenal and Manchester City but found Chelsea just too difficult to overcome at a packed Stamford Bridge.
SEMI-FINAL (April 10, 2010) v Aston Villa (Wembley) L 0-3
Chelsea clinched a place in their third FA Cup final in four years with a 3-0 win over Aston Villa. Drogba, Malouda and Lampard put the Blues into the final against Portsmouth and gave Carlo Ancelotti the chance to win a major piece of silverware in his first season in England.
