Mwaruwari nets 8th league goal in Pompey romp

Mwaruwari nets 8th league goal in Pompey romp

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By Sports Reporter

BENJANI Mwaruwari scored his eighth league goal in the English premiership as he helped Portsmouth to a storming 4-1 win away to Newcastle.

Mwaruwari set a 15-goal target at the start of the season – a massive ambition for someone who scored only six goals all of last season.

But the Zimbabwean international finds himself leading the goal scorers’ chart and appears on course to amass the 15-goal total in the first half of the league season.

He said: “I wasn't expecting to be the Premier League's top scorer. My target was 15 in all competitions, so I have seven to go."

He added: "Everyone is looking at us as a strong team. We want to finish in the top six if we can. But we need to keep on fighting."

By the time the Portsmouth defender, Sol Campbell, had put through his own net in the 16th minute, his team was already three goals to the good. For the first time in 58 years, and at the 24th attempt, Pompey had claimed victory at St James's Park.

"I can only apologise to our fans for the previous 57 years but I've been doing my best to put the record straight," joked the club's manager, Harry Redknapp.

Noe Pamarot's thunderous opening goal, hit from 30 yards out, eluded Newcastle’s stand-in keeper Steve Harper. Then some sluggish defending by Brazilian, Claudio Cacap, allowed Pompey to double their lead. Mwaruwari outmuscled Cacap before dispatching a delicious left footed drive.

Cacap was no more convincing when the Portsmouth midfielder, John Utaka, added the visitors' third.

Campbell's own-goal offered brief hope but by the time Niko Kranjcar's 70th minute free kick sliced beyond Harper, a sedate St James's Park was already emptying fast.
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