rench striker Frederic Piquionne scored twice to send cash-strapped Portsmouth back to Wembley for an FA Cup semi-final – but that match might never take place.
Piquionne’s second half goals were enough to condemn Birmingham City to a 2-0 defeat at Fratton Park here on Saturday but 2008 FA Cup winners Portsmouth’s real triumph will come on March 15 in the High Court when they face the prospect of liquidation.
If British tax authorities succeed in getting bottom of the Premier League Portsmouth wound-up in the courts over their claim for 12.1 million pounds (18.3 million dollars), their potential semi-final opponents will have a bye into the final.
But such considerations were a million miles from the thoughts of a typically passionate Portsmouth crowd who roared their team into the last four.
Winning the quarter-final will earn Portsmouth 360,000 pounds (545,270 dollars) with the prospect of earning an estimated 600,000 pounds (908,784 dollars) in total from the semi-final, if they get that far.
But even winning the FA Cup would only bring in 1.8 million pounds (2.7 million dollars) in prize money which pales against acknowledged debts of 76 million pounds (115 million dollars).
A pedestrian first half between the two top-flight clubs was enlivened only by a sharp save by Portsmouth’s David James from Cameron Jerome after 16 minutes, the England goalkeeper belying his 39 years with his agility.
There was nothing between the sides until the 67th minute.
Birmingham goalkeeper Joe Hart and defender Scott Dann failed to deal with a Danny Webber shot and, from a yard out, Piquionne touched the ball over the line.
Birmingham were still reeling three minutes later when Jamie O’Hara, the midfield player on loan from Tottenham, threaded through a pass which Piquionne raced on to, twisting away from Roger Johnson to blast home his fourth goal in three matches.
Birmingham manager Alex McLeish, whose team return to Fratton Park for a league match on Tuesday, sent on veteran striker Kevin Phillips in the 72nd minute in a desperate attempt to snatch a draw.
City should have got one goal back in the 80th minute in an incident which proved a turning point in the match.
From a corner, the ball fell to Birmingham left back Liam Ridgewell no more than four yards out and with James on the ground.
Ridgewell’s header was clawed back from the line by James in the opinion of referee Steve Bennett and his assistant but video replays clearly indicated the ball had crossed the line.