Red Devils crash out

Muntari’s 78th minute penalty gives Portsmouth a 1-0 win in the FA Cup

MANCHESTER: Harry Redknapp pulled off a unique FA Cup hat-trick against Manchester United as Sulley Muntari’s second-half penalty sealed a 1-0 victory that sent Portsmouth through to the semifinals for the first time since 1992.

Redknapp, who had previously guided Bournemouth and West Ham to FA Cup wins against United, saw his team win at Old Trafford for the first time in 51 years as Ghana midfielder Muntari netted from the spot after substitute keeper Tomasz Kuszczak had been sent off for a tackle striker Milan Baros.

Referee Martin Atkinson had earlier denied United a seemingly clear penalty, so his decision to award Portsmouth a spot-kick left United boss Sir Alex Ferguson furious.

Although the FA Cup lies in third place behind the Champions League and Premier League in United’s list of prioritie, Ferguson resisted the temptation to rest key players. The United starting line-up was as close to full-strength as Ferguson could manage and they looked like a team at the peak of their powers at the start.

United should have been given the chance to go ahead from the penalty spot on seven minutes after Cristiano Ronaldo had been crudely bundled to the floor by defender Sylvain Distin.

But despite their dominance, United proved wasteful in front of goal. United's misses ultimately came back to haunt them on 78 minutes. Anderson lost possession and Kusczak hauled down Baros before being sent off. Rio Ferdinand had to go in goal for United and he had no chance as Muntari's cool spot-kick left Ferguson's Treble dream in tatters