Kranjcar Strike Provides Cure for Pompey's Cup Hangover

For Wembley, read West Ham. For the second time in four days Portsmouth came to London and allowed their opponents to dominate the first half only to steal victory with a single goal in the second, but there the similarities end. Saturday's FA Cup semi-final always had a sense of occasion; last night there was only a sense of anti-climax as the home side wasted several chances before their opponents shook off their hangovers and took control.

Harry Redknapp's team selection suggested that it was not only heads that have been feeling sore in Portsmouth's dressing room in the days since their visit to Wembley. Three members of Saturday's line-up were not fit to start here, with David Nugent making his first start since January in the absence of the injured Milan Baros, the rested Nwankwo Kanu and the bereaved Jermain Defoe, who was attending his grandmother's funeral.

It was not just the injuries - Lassana Diarra was also missing, with a dead leg - that made this a good time to be hosting Portsmouth. The gleaming away record they created in the first half of the season had been tarnished of late, and they came here having lost five of their previous seven away league games. Their performance in the first half, in which their only shot on target, from Papa Bouba Diop in the 40th minute, sailed meekly into Robert Green's gloves from 25 yards, certainly suggested a lack of confidence.

West Ham have enjoyed recent weeks even less, with four defeats coming from six games in March, but the home side looked far more relaxed. Portsmouth played a high defensive line and encouraged their midfield to rove forward in support of their sole starting striker, the result being immense gaps both in front of and behind their back four for the Hammers to exploit on the break.

Bobby Zamora was involved in most of the resulting attacks, and was certainly responsible for the most glaring miss when, after Scott Parker's deflected pass put him through, he took the ball round David James only to shoot across goal and wide of an empty net from an acute but hardly impossible angle.

Portsmouth enjoyed increasing attacking possession as the interval approached, suggesting that they might be on the verge of waking from their slumber. The last thing they needed at that point was a nice sit down and a relaxing cup of tea but after half-time it was West Ham who looked becalmed as Pompey enjoyed long spells of possession and carved out three shooting opportunities for Niko Kranjcar.

The first allowed Green an easy save, the second, from the edge of the area in the 54th minute, flew over the bar when it should have gone in. But in the 61st minute the Croatian was allowed a further opportunity and, given time and space to turn 20 yards from goal, this time his shot arrowed into the bottom corner.

West Ham were unable to bridge the deficit in the remaining half hour, allowing Portsmouth to pull within four points of fifth-placed Everton and sustain their attempt to secure a European place by means other than via Wembley.