United went down 0-2 to Portsmouth at Fratton Park on Saturday. (Reports: BBC, Soccernet, Guardian, ManUtd.com.)
This was another one of those games United should’ve won but couldn’t. But you have to credit Portsmouth for recovering superbly after United nearly overwhelmed them in the first ten minutes of the match. Harry Redknapps’s unfancied team did so well to stymy their opponents as the match wore on that United’s harried midfielders, without a clear pass to make, were sometimes forced to play the ball back to Carroll.
That said, United did have numerous chances but Portsmouth made the most of the few they had. Ferdinand tugged at Fuller’s jersey in the box and the player dropped to earn a penalty which Unsworth converted clinically.
Ronaldo came close to an equaliser when his header hit the post and Martin Tyler wondered out loud if this was to be one of those games for United when Smith somehow managed to miss the rebound from a yard out.
United grew increasingly frustrated and desperate as they tried unsuccessfully to find a way back into the match and Yakubu piled on the misery when his shot deflected off Silvestre past Carroll to double Portsmouth’s lead.
Ferguson described the outcome as “a real kick in the teeth” and “a bad, bad result,” and blamed his players for not hitting the target. Ronaldo was one of those profligate players and I wonder if he should be given an extended break now. The kid is certainly due one after playing in Euro 2004 and the Olympics.
United are now nine points off the pace in the Premiership and they next face Sparta Prague early Thursday morning in the Champions League.
