Checkatrade Trophy Final, Sunday 31st March 2019
Portsmouth won a
dramatic Checkatrade Trophy Final against Sunderland on penalties after a
compelling 2-2 draw in front of a record EFL Trophy crowd of 85,021 at Wembley
Stadium.
I normally only get to watch my late father’s beloved Black
Cats once a season, but I could end up seeing them four times this
campaign. This was the second time so
far this season though and it was a Wembley final against another big sleeping
giant in Pompey.
Both these clubs have been through the mill over the last
few years, so a Wembley finale for both was a nice reward for all those years
of heartache, and with both clubs bringing around 40,000 the atmosphere was
incredible.
The clubs sit 3rd and 4th in League
One and separated by a point, although Portsmouth won the only meeting between
the sides this season so far 3-1 at Fratton Park just before Christmas, so no
doubt Sunderland would want to even things up and win a trophy to boot.
And it was Sunderland who looked like they could do just
that after a dominant first period saw them lead 1-0 at the break thanks to
Aiden McGeady’s free kick late on in the first half, his effort taking a slight
nick off Pompey centre back Matt Clarke, taking it out of the reach of the keeper
and into the top corner.
Half Time Portsmouth
0 Sunderland 1
Pompey though were transformed after the break and dominated
the half, and should have levelled on more than one occasion, the best of those
chances was when Brett Pitman struck the base of the post, but with eight
minutes left they grabbed a more than deserved leveller when Nathan Thompson
rose to head home Gareth Evans cross.
Full Time Portsmouth
1 Sunderland 1
It meant extra time, and it was most certainly a tense
period that’s for sure, but it looked as though Pompey had won it with five
minutes of the extra half hour to go when hesitation between defender Jack
Baldwin and keeper Jon McLaughlin allowed Jamal Lowe to control the ball and
loft over a stranded keeper and cue mass celebrations.
Us Black Cat folk thought that was it, an extra time loss,
very frustrating after such a fantastic opening forty five minutes which we
could of easily been two or three goals to the good, but for some reason we had
stopped playing after the break and now found ourselves on the brink of defeat.
Fair play to Portsmouth though who had come out and turned
this one around, and had won the Trophy for their club, or so we thought at
that stage anyway. But their was to be
more late drama in this pulsating cup final, as with a minute of extra time to
play, McGeady neat footwork had allowed him time and space in the box to fire
an effort at goal which Clarke could not keep out, and cue mass celebrations in
the Sunderland end, my goodness.
It meant penalties though, so more drama to come, and sadly
for the Black Cats Lee Cattermole was the only player to miss in the shootout,
meaning Ollie Hawkins fifth and final penalty for Pompey won them the shootout
5-4, and they had won the EFL Trophy for 2018-19. Deflated yes, but overall proud of how Sunderland
managed to at least force penalties and give themselves a chance. Now lets go and get promotion!!! The two meet at SOL at the end of April, I’ll
be there, let’s win that one!!
Full Time Portsmouth
2 Sunderland 2 (aet; Portsmouth won 5-4
on penalties)
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