FA Cup Final,

Portsmouth v Cardiff-Live on BBC1 & Sky Sports 1, k/o 15:00pm

Few people would have chosen either of these teams to be walking out onto the famous Wembley turf at the beginning of the season, and fewer still as the competition progressed. Although they are favourites to win their first trophy since 1939, Portsmouth were amongst the shock winners this year when they beat 11 time winners Man Utd in the quarter finals. They managed to squeeze past West Brom in the semis 1-0 to book their place in the final, but go into the game on their worst run of the season with one draw and four defeats their last six, including a season ending 1-0 home defeat to relegation threatened Fulham. They will also be without cup tied Jermain Defoe, who has scored 8 goals in 12 games since joining Pompey, although they are boosted by the return of in form keeper David James.

Cardiff will be sweating on the fitness of former England international Robbie Fowler as they look forward to their first Wembley final since 1927, the last time the FA Cup left England thanks to their
1-0 win over Arsenal. City were also amongst the shock winners this year, beating Middlesbrough 2-0 in the quarter finals to set up a semi final with fellow giant killers Barnsley. An early Joe Ledley goal was enough to send the Bluebirds to Wembley, although they come into the final with just two wins from their last six league games, including a season ending 3-0 win over the team they beat in the semis, Barnsley. If boss Dave Jones decides Fowler is not fit for the weekend, he can still call on Premiership experience in the shape of Jimmy Floyd Hasslebaink, whose previous FA Cup final appearance, with Chelsea in 2002, ended in defeat to Arsenal.

VC Bet make Portsmouth favourites at 8/11, but can Cardiff complete the season of FA Cup upsets by gaining an unlikely victory? VC Bet don?t think so as they price a Cardiff victory at 22/5.

Labels: fa-cup-betting, fa-cup-final-betting