Pompey er klar til semifinalen, da de hjemme slog et Peterboroughhold i nærmest stærkeste opstilling.
Mange en Pompeyfan har nok funderet over hvordan Kenny Jackett som manager ville stille op. For det vindende hold ville stå i semifinalen i EFL Checkatrade Trophy.
Med tanke på den særdeles vigtige topkamp på lørdag mod Luton, så kunne det enkle valg være at stille med reserver, men omvendt så er Pompey i en spillemæssig krise, så det kunne være han ville stille med en stærk start XI.
Kenny Jackett valgte at følge det mønster han har haft i hele turneringen, nemlig at spare de fleste stamspillere og bruge reserverne.
Starten var afventende for begge hold, men det tog ikke længe før Pompey tog grebet af kampen, med Ben Close og Adam May som spillerne meget gik igennem og hvor Gareth Evans og Jamal Lowe var de mere offensive spillere.
Unge Dan Smith løb meget som angriber, men han fik ikke fat i meget. En enkelt stor chance blev det til, da David Wheeler fik en god bold i feltet, men hans first touch var ikke godt nok, og keeperen kom ud fik reddet.
Som kampen skred frem, kom Peterborough mere med i kampen og havde tilløb til et par muligheder, blandt andet et indlæg der blev en afslutning.
Efter pausen kom Pompey igen godt ud og tog igen taktstokken, og Wheeler fik igen en god mulighed på en tilfældig bold i feltet, men han sparkede den gode chance over.
Peterborough havde igen tilløb til muligheder, men Burgess og unge Matt Casey gjorde det godt i centerforsvaret.
Efter en lille times spil skiftede Pompey to stærke ind i Anton Walkes og Louis Dennis i stedet for to unge spillere. Et signal om at manager Kenny Jackett gik efter sejren.
Dog var det Peterborough der havde det gode spil efter Pompeys udskiftning, hvilket næppe var det Pompey havde ventet og gæsterne havde et par farlige indlæg fra frispark i feltet, hvor lidt større skarphed, kunne have giver Peterborough føringen.
Den helt store mulighed kom til Peterborough, da en af deres spillere fik en aflevering og en afslutning fra 11 meter pletten, men den bold ramte han meget skidt, og Pompey kunne ånde lettet op.
Med 10 min igen, så brændte det igen på efter et indlæg hvor først bolden blev reddet, returen blev blokeret på stregen og næste retur røg på overliggeren, av av der skulle gæsterne være kommet på 0-1.
Kort efter lykkedes Pompey endelig med noget, Gareth Evans kom fri på venstrekanten og hans flade indlæg blev clearet til hjørne.
Her kneb det med opdækningen for Peterborough, og David Wheeler kunne sende en volley op i nærmeste hjørne. Det var lidt imod run of the game de seneste tyve min, men Pompey viste kvalitet da det gjaldt.
Pompey havde muligheden til 2-0, men Dennis skød lige over. Peterborough smed boldene ind i feltet men Christian Burgess stod i vejen for meget headede mange bolde væk og de fik ikke muligheden for udligningen.
Semifinalen
Dermed er Pompey i semifinalen hvor de kan møde
Bristol Rovers
Bury
Sunderland
Kommentarer fra Twitter
Semi finals of the #CheckatradeTrophy is so underwhelming ….but I would still go to Wembley if we get there #Pompey
One match from Wembley…. could be a huge dilemma on the horizon!
SEMI FINAL HERE WE COME!!!! ONE GAME AWAY FROM WEMBLEY!!!! LET’S GO!!!!
I know it’s only the tin pot trophy but Pompey are through to the semis #bluearmy #pfc #Pompey
If we want to take positives from today then at least Wheeler got on the scoresheet and a severely weakened team was able to beat a strong Posh side. But otherwise I hope we get beat in the semi-final as I will not be going to the final if we get there. #Pompey
No matter what Jackett does he cannot get this team out of this stupid trophy. One win away from Wembley and I’m not even remotely bothered @officialpompey #pompey
Genuinely terrified about getting to the final of this thing. #Pompey
Well done boys. Hopefully that will help mentally as well for the league games.
Great win tonight into the semi final, gets the squad back to winning ways 🙂 onto Saturday now before the big one against Luton #Pompey
More people turning up the further we get in the competition! I have boycotted from the start and will boycott if we get to Wembley. As should everyone else. Imagine #Pompey and #Sunderland getting to the final and only being a few thousand there. Would be a massive statement!
Pompey manager Kenny Jackett:
“We’ve lost two in the league, so it breaks that streak and we’ve done well in the cups this season.
“It comes during a run of five games in 15 days and so we changed the team and gave time on the pitch to some of the boys on the fringes.
“There was further experience for the younger guys – and their development is always a vital thing at any club.
“I thought that Matt Casey, in particular, was excellent against a quality attack of Toney, Tomlin and Cooper – he had good competition and should take heart from that.
“I felt that we were the better side in the first half, while Peterborough managed to get on top of us in the second.
“There was a great block by Burgess during a scramble in our box and we defended very well, especially the two centre-backs.
“Dave had some very big chances and the keeper pulled off a top save in the first half, while he just couldn’t get his foot around one after the break.
“But I’m pleased to say that perseverance won the day and he deserved a goal in front of our crowd. He finished it off well with his left foot.
“We can tuck this one away now and concentrate on the FA Cup in this very busy schedule, which is almost like the Christmas period for us.”
Peterborough manager Steve Evans
“I feel for the players,”
“I have too often this season had to explain away poor performances, but that wasn’t the case tonight. “We were outstanding in the second-half in particular. It was a brilliant performance, one of the best we’ve produced this season. “We dominated the ball. We didn’t always make the right decision in the final third, but we had enough chances to win comfortably. “We played some lovely passing football. Our movement was good. Some of the play between the lines was exciting to watch and how we didn’t score when the ball was flying around their penalty area is beyond me. “And then Portsmouth broke down the other end and scored from a corner when one of our lads didn’t do his job.
“With luck like that Portsmouth will probably go on and win the competition. “I wanted to win it, but good luck to Portsmouth. “George Cooper ran the game in the second-half and we got a good 70 minutes into Lee Tomlin which he needed. “I picked a strong team. Some of the senior players wanted to play after the Luton game and credit to them for that.
Checkatrade Trophy kvartfinale, Fratton Park, 22. januar
Portsmouth – Peterborough 1-0 (0-0)
85 min 1-0 David Wheeler
Portsmouth (4-2-3-1): MacGillivray; Mnoga, Casey, Burgess, Haunstrup; Close (Clarke fra 87.), May; Wheeler, Evans, Lowe; Smith (Dennis fra 58.)
Bænken: Bass, Walkes, Clarke, Donohue, Read, Dennis, Lethbridge
Gult kort: Ben Close
Tilskuere: 3.313 (121 away fans)