Portsmouth end European campaign on winning note
Crouch scored a brace to help Pompey beat Heerenveen
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Wednesday, 17, Dec 2008 10:32
Portsmouth ended their Uefa Cup campaign on a winning note after beating Heerenveen 3-0 at Fratton Park.
Tony Adams' side had already been eliminated from the competition despite a creditable 2-2 draw with AC Milan last month.
Pompey dominated the Dutch side but their win was merely a consolation after defeats to Wolfsburg and FC Braga knocked them out of the tournament.
Peter Crouch struck twice in three minutes just before half time to give the home side a handy lead going into the break.
Heerenveen barely threatened in the second half and Hermann Hreidarsson capped a fine performance from Pompey with the third after 90 minutes.
Goalkeeper Jamie Ashdown was given a rare chance to start in place of David James and the young stopper did well to deny Heerenveen early on as Paulo Henrique threatened.
Roy Beerens then hit the post for the visitors but after that it was all Pompey as Crouch and winger Armand Traore caused havoc in the Heerenveen defence.
Traore danced through half the Dutch side and teed up Crouch but the England man stabbed his shot wide.
The tall striker then missed another good chance after Marc Wilson's cross found him in the box but this time Crouch hit the crossbar.
Traore then blazed a shot over the bar before Pompey eventually got the breakthrough their dominance had deserved. Wilson floated a cross to the far post and this time Crouch made no mistake with the header.
Pompey doubled their lead just before the break. Nwankwo Kanu jinked his way into the box and when his shot was saved Crouch tucked away the rebound.
The second half was a much tighter affair as the Heerenveen got men behind the ball and tried to stifle Pompey.
The visitors almost got a goal back on the counter-attack after an hour but substitute Tarik Elyounoussi dragged his shot wide.
Crouch then wasted another header at the far post for Pompey but they finally added a third in stoppage time when Hreidarsson headed home Glenn Little's free-kick.
The win was only Pompey's third since Adams took over as manager from Harry Redknapp.