12 February 2007, by Sean Gillen

Mendes fires screamer before succumbing to Man City injury curse

Portsmouth 2-1 Manchester City

Pedro Mendes scored a sensational goal but was later carried off following a poor challenge from Joe Barton as Portsmouth ended their winless run with a victory over Manchester City at Fratton Park.

Portuguese midfielder Mendes opened the scoring after just five minutes in typically sensational style. A Portsmouth corner was cleared to the former Porto man 20 metres from goal, and Mendes took a touch to set himself before firing a swerving shot into the top left corner of the City goal.

The goal brought back memories of Mendes’ famous double strike against the same opposition last season, in a 2-1 victory that many believe turned Pompey’s season around and inspired them to avoid relegation.

However, Mendes also has bad memories of playing against Man City after he was knocked unconscious by Ben Thatcher in the reverse fixture earlier on in the season, and Barton’s challenge shortly before half time ended his afternoon.

Coach fury

Portsmouth coach Harry Redknapp was furious as the England midfielder came in from behind and appeared to intentionally tread on Mendes’ heel, and the Pompey manager had to be sent to the stands for the second half following an angry confrontation with the referee.

“I don’t think anybody could deny it was a bad challenge but yes I did swear. I do sometimes,” Redknapp said after the match.

“I just asked the referee how the hell he could give Andy Cole a yellow card for not walking towards him and then the same thing for what Barton did.”

“It was a fantastic goal from Pedro and for 35 minutes he was running the game for us.”

“Unfortunately he got a bad tackle. Pedro has a hole in his sock and his heel is cut. He was controlling the game for us while he was on the pitch but it turned after he went off.”

“It looks like a badly gashed Achilles but we hope it’s not too bad.”

After Mendes’ departure, City enjoyed more of the play, and equalised just after the hour mark when Darius Vassell broke down the right and clipped a cross in for Italian Bernardo Corradi to head past David James.

However, Pompey ended a five-match winless run when top goalscorer Nwankwo Kanu came off the bench to latch onto Glen Johnson’s throughball and slide the ball past Andreas Isaksson to secure the three points.

Portsmouth:
James, Johnson, Pamarot, Campbell, Traore (Kranjcar 71), O'Neil, Davis, Pedro Mendes (Lauren 44), Taylor, Cole (Kanu 71), LuaLua
Yellow Cards: Cole (27), Pamarot (78), Kanu (86)

Man City:
Isaksson, Richards, Dunne, Distin, Jihai (Samaras 87), Barton, Ireland (Beasley 61), Dabo, Ball, Corradi, Vassell (Miller 79)
Yellow Cards: Dabo (30), Barton (41), Corradi (87)

Goals:
[1-0] Mendes, 4
[1-1] Corradi, 62
[2-1] Kanu, 81