Portsmouth won a seven-goal thriller at Fratton Park as Nigerian striker Aiyegbeni Yakubu fired a hat-trick to secure their first Barclays Premiership win of the season. Pompey gave one new striker his debut and introduced another, a £2million record signing, to the Fratton Park crowd.
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| Fulham defender Moritz Volz had a battling experience at Fratton Park which included being thrown into the crowd and having to change his shirt at least 3 times due to blood stains. |
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But it was Yakubu, the marksman whose goals kept them in the Premiership last season, who crashed home a stunning hat-trick to become the star of this early contender for match of the season.
Yakubu, scorer of 19 goals last season when a relieved manager Harry Redknapp bet him £20,000 he would not notch 20, took a standing ovation when he left the field five minutes from time after completing his second hat-trick for the club.
He had scored twice in 10 minutes in the first half, including a penalty when new strike partner Ricardo Fuller was fouled, and added the third late in the second when Fulham, having been three down, were pressing for an equaliser.
It was pulsating stuff for the 20,000 crowd but also a case of deja vu as Fulham had stormed back from 4-0 down in January 1985 to take a point in an eight-goal thriller.
This time they could not quite manage that sort of miracle but it would have taken a man with a heart of stone to complain about the entertainment value on offer.
It will also provide a major selection headache for manager Harry Redknapp who paraded new £2million buy Diomansy Kamara from Italian club Modena before the kick-off. The Senegalese ace now awaits international clearance.
On top of everything else there also was a running feud between the home crowd and Papa Bouba Diop, the giant midfield star and countryman of Kamara who trained with Pompey for much of the summer but then signed for Fulham.
But it was German defender Moritz Volz who had the biggest run-in with the crowd. He toppled into the sidelines after a collision with Fuller and was clearly complaining about being struck in the back as he returned.
The incident had followed an arm-swinging off-the-ball clash between Berkovic and Fulham's Alain Goma.
After new boy Fuller had two shots from inside the penalty area in the first six minutes, Portsmouth struck a quick-fire treble, two of them to Yakubu.
Classy Patrik Berger's pull-back from the left slipped behind former Preston forward Fuller but he turned well and fired in a first-time shot that spiralled over the crossbar.
After Yakubu forced a corner from Berger's smart through ball, Fuller gathered Steve Stone's pass and drifted away from Goma before firing a low drive at Edwin van der Sar.
But the contest really caught light as Pompey struck twice in three minutes - either side of a near miss by Fulham.
Yakubu shouldered Volz aside to penetrate the area and fire a shot which was blocked - only for Berkovic to power home the rebound from the corner of the box in fine style.
| Match Stats |
Pompey |
Fulham |
| Goals |
4 |
3 |
| Poss. |
45% |
55% |
| Goal attempts |
21 |
18 |
| On Target |
13 |
10 |
| Offsides |
2 |
1 |
| Corners |
6 |
8 |
| Fouls |
12 |
12 |
| Yellows |
0 |
2 |
| Reds |
0 |
0 |
| source: soccernet |
Tomasz Radzinski looked set to scoop a Fulham equaliser while Pompey were still congratulating themselves on taking the lead, and only Shaka Hislop's razor-like reactions, racing bravely off his line, denied the Canadian international.
And while Fulham heads were still down, Fuller burst into the area at the other end where Boa Morte, making his first start of the season, clipped his heel and sent him crashing down.
Referee Barry Knight pointed immediately to the spot and Yakubu, with the same determination that shook off Volz earlier, stepped up instead of penalty expert David Unsworth to power home the kick for his first goal of of the season.
He soon made it two - and 3-0 to Portsmouth - racing onto a Fuller flick to belt in a low drive, but if the home side thought they were on easy street after that they were soon disabused of such a notion.
Fulham knew there were holes to be found in Pompey's elderly rearguard - just as they showed up gaps of their own.
In the 39th minute, after twice going close, Cole looped a header from Boa Morte's cross and within three minutes had returned the compliment with a shrewd pass that took the Portuguese flyer in behind flimsy cover to slot a second for the Cottagers.
It did not ease Pompey fans' pain that it was Fulham midfielder Diop who had started the move for that Boa Morte strike.
In the second half Pompey looked likely to lose their lead at any moment and Hislop was called upon to perform a fine save to prevent Cole and then Sylvain Legwinski from putting Fulham on terms.
It was huge justification for the veteran 'keeper whose blunder cost Pompey a point at Charlton in their last appearance.
This time he was just as much a hero as Yakubu as the side grabbed their first win of the campaign.
Yakubu's 72nd minute strike from a Berkovic pass was needed to clinch the win.
Carlos Bocanegra struck again for the Cottagers with a diving header from a Boa Morte free-kick on 79 minutes to keep the result in doubt right until the end.
Portsmouth Hislop, Primus, De Zeeuw, Stefanovic, Unsworth, Stone, Quashie, Berger, Berkovic (LuaLua 79), Fuller, Yakubu (Taylor 88).
Subs Not Used: Ashdown, Griffin, O'Neil.
Goals: Berkovic 19, Yakubu 22 pen, 28, 72.
Fulham Van der Sar, Volz, Goma, Knight, Bocanegra, Jensen, Diop, Legwinski (McBride 86), Boa Morte, Cole, Radzinski (John 68).
Subs Not Used: Crossley, Pembridge, McKinlay.
Booked: Legwinski(67,UB), Knight(77,F).
Goals: Cole 39, Boa Morte 41, Bocanegra 75.
Att: 19,728
Ref: B Knight (Kent).