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Pompey's European dreams ends in Wolfsburg

04/12/2008

Portsmouth have been knocked out of the Uefa Cup after going down to a 3-2 defeat away at Wolfsburg.

The Premier League outfit twice held the lead through goals from Jermain Defoe and Arnold Mvuemba, but two goalkeeping errors from David James gifted Wolfsburg the win.

Portsmouth got off to a woeful start as their defence stood still and allowed Edin Dzeko to score from six yards out with no Pompey defender near him.

But Tony Adams' were behind for less than ten minutes as Defoe got them back on level terms. Young Frenchman Armand Traore went on a terrific run on the left-wing and curled a ball into the Wolfsburg box which keeper Diego Benaglio spilled and Defoe took advantage to score.

Things got better for Pompey as they took a surprise lead a couple of minutes later. Mvuemba's speculative long range shot took a deflection off and beat Benaglio in the Wolfsburg goal.

The game was so open that more goals were guaranteed and it took only ten more minutes for the equaliser from Wolfsburg to arrive. Christian Gentner put in a hopeful ball into the Portsmouth box which somehow went in after England goalkeeper James lost the flight of the ball.

Portsmouth were inches away from regaining the lead through Niko Kranjcar who saw his curling free-kick come back off the bar.

Portsmouth desperately needed to win this game to give themselves a chance of reaching the knockout stages. But James was having a nightmare in goal and he fumbled the ball in the area which gifted the winner to Zvjezdan Misimovic.

James did save a late penalty but it made no difference as Portsmouth went crashing out of the Uefa Cup.