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FA Cup Final Cardiff v Portsmouth live on BBC One |
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Written by Telly Addict
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Friday, 16 May 2008 |
Saturday 17th May sees the FA Cup Final between Cardiff and Portsmouth live from Wembley Stadium on BBC One
Gary Lineker and guests are at Wembley for BBC One for the E.on FA Cup Final between Portsmouth and Cardiff City.
Barclays Premier League team Pompey will be expected to beat their Coca-Cola Championship opponents Cardiff City but, after what has been one of the most unpredictable FA Cup competitions in the trophy's long and distinguished history, league status is unlikely to count for much. With neither Portsmouth or Cardiff City having contested an FA Cup Final since the Second World War, both sets of fans have been eagerly anticipating the showdown. BBC One has full coverage of the build-up to the match, which kicks off at 3pm.
Portsmouth last reached the FA Cup Final in 1939, when they won the Cup for the only time in their history. Their manager, Harry Redknapp, has never been to Wembley as a player or manager prior to this season's semi-final and is vying for the first major trophy of his 25-year managerial career.
Cardiff City have waited even longer to reach another FA Cup final, having last done so in 1927 when they beat Arsenal 1-0. Cardiff City remain the only Welsh team to have won the competition.
It is the fifth time in this season's FA Cup competition that Portsmouth have faced a Championship club, with the one exception being the incredible 1-0 quarter-final win against Manchester United at Old Trafford. Portsmouth's progress to the Final has been built on a solid defence, with goalkeeper David James conceding only one goal in previous rounds.
Cardiff's highlight so far also came in the last eight, when Peter Whittingham's magnificent goal – his third in Cardiff's run to the FA Cup Final – set Dave Jones's side on their way to a 2-0 win at Middlesbrough.
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