Date of Birth: 27 11 1981
Place of Birth: Oxford
Position: Defender
Nationality: England
Matthew Taylor Rumours and Transfers
18 08 2007
Portsmouth hit back from a goal down to hand Bolton their 3rd consecutive defeat of the season at Fratton Park. Nicolas Anelka had given Bolton an early lead, however Kanu, John Utaka and Matthew Taylor all found the net to give Harry Redknapp's side their 1st triumph of the campaign.
After a cagey opening, Anelka sped clear in typical style to outpace Hermann Hreidarsson and drive his shot through the legs of David James and have given Bolton a 12th minute lead.
But Kanu slotted home an equaliser only 4 minutes later, after fellow Nigerian John Utaka had knocked down Gary O'Neil's cross. And Kanu, who had earlier had a goal disallowed, then turned provider for Utaka.
He sent the £7 million signing speeding clear down the middle, with Utaka outpacing the Bolton defence before rounding the goalie Jussi Jaaskelainen to slide the ball into an empty net.
Bolton had hardly regained their breath when Nicky Hunt was booked for a foul and the free kick by Sean Davis produced a scramble in their goalmouth which finished with Benjani Mwaruwari shooting and Jussi Jaaskelainen saving.
Benjani, with 2 goals already this season, was still looking for another when he got in behind Abdoulaye Meite and went sprawling on the edge of the area, however the referee Steve Tanner ruled that the contact was legal.
Pompey would not relax with Anelka around, and his 37th minute flick was only wide of the near post with James looking beaten. And if Kevin Nolan had got a touch with an outstretched left foot to Jlloyd Samuel's low ball into the area, James would have been embarrassed instead of smothering comfortably on the line.
Bolton brought on new Swedish signing Christian Wilhelmsson for Andranik Teymourian at the start of the 2nd half, which proved less eventful. However, they continued to give Utaka too much room and when a firm thrust by Benjani was only about resisted, the loose ball came to the Nigerian, who fired a drive straight at a grateful Jaaskelainen.
El-Hadji Diouf angered the home supporters after hacking at O'Neil and got a lecture from referee Tanner for his unhappy reaction to a hard however fair tackle by Richard Hughes. Bolton had taken off Nolan for new signing Daniel Braaten in the 55th minute.
Ball-watching by Taylor almost gifted Bolton an equaliser 3 minutes later when Anelka flew in to meet Samuel's long cross from the left and, unopposed, powered a firm header which was only near enough to James for him to save.
Kanu was again involved in the final action of the game, when he was brought down in the penalty area 3 minutes from full time, and Taylor converted to seal the 3 points for Pompey.
24 07 2007
Zimbabwe international Benjani Mwaruwari struck only before half time as Portsmouth edged Fulham 1-0 to reached the Asia Trophy final Tuesday. Mwaruwari pounced on an unfortunate error from Zat Knight, however Pompey had keeper David James to thank as he kept Fulham at bay with a string of fine saves.
With 8 new transfers starting in humid conditions, both teams had taken time to settle and there were jeers when they walked off for a water-break on 25 minutes with scarcely a chance created between them. Lawrie Sanchez's Fulham came back refreshed and it was ex Villa man Steven Davis who almost broke the deadlock after an intelligent Alexei Smertin backheel.
Davis picked out an unmarked Clinton Dempsey from the right on 43 minutes, however the midfielder's point-blank header was straight at England keeper James. James denied Dempsey again almost immediately afterwards when he tipped his shot round the post.
But Portsmouth landed a sucker-punch on the stroke of half time when Nico Kranjcar's speculative shot was parried by Knight into the path of Mwaruwari, who gratefully buried the easy chance.
Fulham's £6 million pound forward Diomansy Kamara, newly arrived from West Bromwich Albion, stole in to the six-yard box on 56 minutes however James again saved brilliantly by diving at his feet. Collins John should have done better than blast over when the ball fell to him in the six-yard box, and James was also on hand to stop a driven effort by Papa Diop from distance.
Matthew Taylor came within inches of doubling Portsmouth's tally when he hit the post with a rasping shot in stoppage time. The final of the exhibition tournament will take place Friday.
