Portsmouth-AC Milan: Heartache and Heartbreak at Fratton Park

It was almost so very different. On a magical November night, Fratton Park was rocking as Portsmouth were 2-0 up against AC Milan, a side that had won the European Championship seven times.

It seemed like it was going to be a game as momentous and as celebrated by Portsmouth supporters as last year's FA Cup Final.

But it wasn't to be.

In the end, it would be a night for former World Player of the Year Ronaldinho and Filippo Inzaghi to claim. Goals from Younes Kaboul and Nwankwo Kanu weren't enough to give Portsmouth a historic victory.

Portsmouth threatened throughout the game, but Inzaghi always looked likely to add his name to the score-sheet. The Italian hit the woodwork no less than three times during the match.

Kaka had moments of brilliance, but was largely subdued by a Portsmouth side that was not at all intimidated by their illustrious competition. Andriy Shevchenko rarely threatened, Alexandre Pato wasn't much of a replacement, and stand-in skipper Gennaro Gattuso was out-muscled.

It truly looked as if it could be Portsmouth's night.

For the hosts, wing-backs Glen Johnson and Nadir Belhadj were in insatiable form. The former looked not at all out of place with his world-class opposition.

During the first half, Peter Crouch looked as lively as he ever has in his second stint in a Pompey shirt, and Sylvain Distin was composed.

Papa Bouba Diop, however, continued right where he left off against Hull last weekend, insisting on shooting every time he was within 25 yards of goal, and always firing wildly over. Manager Tony Adams was clearly in agony over his performance, as Diop looked largely out of depth throughout.

Milan boss Carlos Ancelotti would bring on both Clarence Seedorf and Ronaldinho in the second half following Kanu's goal, and it was their introduction that turned the game on its head.

As soon as Ronaldinho struck in his free-kick in the 84th minute, I was having déjà vu. Tony Adams had managed Portsmouth for seven games now, and we have succumbed to goals within the last 10 minutes in five of those matches.

It is a serious problem, and I'm not at all sure what the solution will be.

The atmosphere in Fratton Park was absolutely electric tonight, but even as excited as I was when we were 2-0 up and chants of "Are you Bournemouth in disguise?" rang out, I was concerned.

I had been excited against Fulham. I had been excited against Hull. And I was deathly concerned that we were going to drop the win again with less than eight minutes remaining.

At the outset of the match, had you told me we were going to take a point off Milan, I would have been delighted. But the manner of our defeat tonight—with victory snatched from right under our noses—was crushing.

Fortunately, the performance tonight was wonderful overall, and will hopefully be a fighting spirit we will carry back into the league.

Another huge concern for the Portsmouth faithful, however, will be striker Kanu's reaction upon being substituted. He clearly felt that if a defensive change needed to be made, that Crouch should have come off.

The anger and frustration were clear on his face and in his body language, pushing through manager Adams to head down the tunnel.

Hopefully for Portsmouth supporters, we won't see the fallout from that substitution in the coming week.