A record 731 teams set out for eternal glory in winning the 2007-2008 edition of the FA Cup and after matches since August 18 of last year, we’re down to the last four remaining clubs: Portsmouth, Barnsley, West Bromwich Albion, and Cardiff City.
Bryan Robson conducted the draw for the semifinals this afternoon, with both matches to be played at Wembley during the first weekend of April:
April 5: Barnsley vs. Cardiff City
April 6: West Bromwich Albion vs. Portsmouth
A betting man would likely take Portsmouth to win this competition, something they’ve done only once in their long history (in 1939). However, West Brom, Pompey’s opponent, just thrashed Bristol Rovers, who were the cinderella story in this year’s FA Cup, 5-1 on the road.
Many people, including Chelsea captain John Terry apparently, want Barnsley to go on and win though and I have to say, after beating Liverpool and Chelsea in consecutive rounds, Barnsley certainly would deserve it. The Tykes could be due for a letdown against Cardiff after those two massive victories, so that will be an interesting game to watch.
