(3) (pm EST : 57
Half-time: Portsmouth 0- 1 Arsenal
That’ll do for now. Portsmouth have been the livelier, without really fashioning a huge chance, and Arsenal fairly flat. But Arteta’s men pulled out a big moment when it mattered, and now the third-tier side have it all to do.
(3) PM EST ) :
Goal! Portsmouth 0-1 Arsenal (Sokratis ( 4)
Very nicely done! Nelson’s right-sided flag kick is headed away but the ball is played back out to him. His second delivery is really, really good and finished clinically by Sokratis, whose clipped volley into the corner is hardly what you’d expect from a fairly artisanal defender. There’s that bit of quality!
Sokratis volleys in from Nelson’s cross. Photograph: Stuart MacFarlane / Arsenal / Getty Images
Updated (at 3.) EST EST
(3.) pm EST : 55
4 min:
An Arsenal corner after a typical driving run from Willock. This is “a good time to score”. And as it happens …
(3.) pm EST : 54
2 min: And in the second of them Arsenal have a chance to do something as Close cynically trips Ceballos just outside the left corner of the box. Nelson and David Luiz are both eying it … and the former’s harmless effort comes off the wall.
(3) (PM EST :
1 min: We are in five added minutes, due to that serious-looking injury to Torreira.
(3) PM EST ) :
min: All a bit slow from Arsenal at the moment, which I don’t think Arteta is appreciating very much. Whatever happens here tonight, he has such a rebuild on his hands.
(3) PM EST : 49
min: Oh, Guendouzi’s booking earlier was for, errr, showily placing the ball down. Not quite sure that merits a card …
(3) (pm EST ) :
min: Not at this particular point. David Luiz appears on the edge of the Pompey box and plays a sublime no-look ball through to Nketiah, who drives very, very wide when he should probably do better.
(3.) (PM) (EST) :
min: Portsmouth have been brisk and dangerous but that final bit of quality has lacked. The same goes for Arsenal , where the latter is concerned, but you’d just about back them to pull something out at some point.
(3) (pm) (EST) :
min: Now Pompey win a dangerous-looking free-kick on the right, but it’s headed out and then Evans slashes far off target .
3. (pm) EST : 37
min: Guendouzi is booked for a spot of what seemed to be sarcastic applause after Arsenal win a free-kick in the center circle. His manager might not like that much either.
(3). (pm) EST :
min: Poor from Martinelli, who lets the ball run out of play when it’s slid down towards him in space. Arsenal
just look a bit raw here, which is understandable to an extent.
(3). pm EST :
min: At the other end, Evans’s shot is blocked by Sokratis with Martinez already diving. End to end stuff!
(3.) pm EST :
min: Almost cursed Pompey there! Nelson skitters to the right byline brilliantly but Martinelli, right in front of the posts, can only bullet his flashing delivery over. I think Nelson overhit it; Martinelli couldn’t really adjust himself to make the finish.
3. (pm EST :
(min: Arsenal just look that little bit shy of cutting edge so far. Harness thrives on the left again but overhits his cross, and Pompey will believe they have a real chance here judging by actions up to now.
(3.) PM EST
min: Chance for Pompey! The impressive Seddon has space to deliver and does so perfectly for the onrushing Evans, who nods well wide when unattended (yards out.) Portsmouth’s Gareth Evans reacts after heading wide. Photograph: Rex / Shutterstock
Updated (at 3.) PM EST
(3) PM EST) :
(min:) Arsenal had been getting on top since the injury But here’s a Pompey corner … which Martinez handles well this time. No really clear chances here yet.
(3.) (PM) (EST) :
min: Saka goes on a driving run, as he does so well, but his low shot is grabbed onto by the goalkeeper bass.
(3.) EST EST :
min: It was Sokratis. My sincere apologies. Genuinely one of the passes of the season, that.
(3) (pm) EST
min: Martinelli gets to the line after a quite delicious raking ball by … errr, didn’t see who, surely not Sokratis? Maybe Ceballos … but a defender manages to stop Nketiah converting at the near post. The corner is cleverly worked low to Saka but he completely fluffs his effort.
(pm) EST :
min: I wonder, too, if that stoppage might dull the rattling pace pompey had set out at. Arsenal are popping the ball about at the moment – something the new man, Ceballos , is especially good for.
(3) pm EST :
min: will be replaced by Dani Ceballos. He’s carried away on the stretcher, to applause, and it’s really the last thing Arteta needed. We hope it’s not as bad as it looked. That was a four-minute delay, by my watch.
(3) pm EST :
(min: Looks like Torreira is going to leave us on a stretcher. The physios are holding his ankle, keeping it stable. Doesn’t look like a good one, this.
(2. (pm) (EST :
min: Torreira is down and thudding hands on turf after an uncompromising tackle by Bolton. The ball was won fairly; do we think the home player used excessive force though? We won’t be able to ask VAR because there isn’t any tonight.
pm
EST :
min: Mari does brilliantly to beat Harrison to a Harness cross after the winger does well on the left. It all came about after Guendouzi, not Arteta’s favorite boy in recent weeks, gave the ball away cheaply in midfield.
(2) pm EST
:
9 min: Harrison, all on his own, drives towards the Arsenal
defense and shoots speculatively. It’s deflected for a corner; the busy striker did well. David Luiz nuts it clear, but isn’t as convincing when the second ball is played in and Evans totally miscues his attempt at a spectacular angled volley.
(2). (PM
EST
8 min:
“Mari playing – good – if he makes an ambitious pass we shall hail him. End of punning contribution, ” contributes Charles Antaki.
(2) PM EST ) : ()
6 min: Now Nelson puts across a much better delivery from open play after good work from Willock, fizzing one dangerously across goal but with no attacker ready to pounce.
(2.) (PM
EST :
5 min: Arsenal win a corner and Nelson outswings it from the right, but Harrison nods it clear at the near post.
2 . (PM EST )
:
3 min:
A deep, deep cross from from the left -back Seddon is headed back across the box by Harrison and missed by Martinez, with David Luiz having to somewhat unwittingly head it away.
2. (PM) EST :
2 min: Bit of a hectic start, the ball in the air a lot, but Pompey’s tempo is good and the debutant Mari has to block a shot from range by Evans.
2. (pm) (EST) :
Peeeep! Off we go!
Arteta rubs his hands. Pompey get us started, shooting right to left. Arsenal
are in yellow shirts and navy shorts today.
(2.) (pm) (EST)
The teams are out on the pitch at Fratton Park! There’s chanting, singing, the obligatory bell, everything! A few minutes til we start …
(2) pm EST :
Doesn’t matter who plays though – Pompey haven’t lost here in the league this season!
A bit of admin while we’re here: the tie has to be settled tonight, there’ll be no replay . Can’t give the cup yet more time when we’ve already run it across glamorous weeknight slots!
(2.) pm EST : 53
Worth noting that Portsmouth’s top scorers , the aforeinterviewed Curtis and John Marquis, are both on the bench tonight
. They have a good squad for their level but … hmmmmm.
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