Pedersen puts paid to Pompey
Blackburn again mined Benni McCarthy's rich vein of form to reach the last eight at Portsmouth's expense last night.
Since Pompey pulled off a Premier League victory at Ewood Park, the South Africa striker has been central to Blackburn's subsequent seven-match winning run.
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On tap: it's an easy goal for McCarthy
After accepting a gift from a slack defence in the first half, he then had a hand in the second goal from Morten Gamst Pedersen which ended Portsmouth's unbeaten home record.
Furthermore, Blackburn triumphed despite being without Robbie Savage following his knee operation and then losing his replacement, Aaron Mokoena, midway through the first half when he was carried off with a leg injury.
Mokoena will have a scan today to check he has not suffered a broken leg for the second time in his career.
Blackburn manager Mark Hughes was effusive in his praise for McCarthy's contribution.
He said: "The way he has responded to being left out of the team has been a credit to him. I took a lot of pleasure out of watching Benni tonight and many of our performances.
"Portsmouth are a strong, physical side who ask questions, but we rose to the challenge and responded in the right way."
Portsmouth largely brought about their own downfall. They dominated possession but their final ball was at best woeful and more often than not totally wasteful.
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Winning goal: Pedersen
Blackburn had hardly been in their opponents' half when, in the 11th minute, Mokoena hit a hopeful low ball into the penalty area. Sol Campbell and Sylvain Distin failed to clear and McCarthy was left unmarked to score his fifth goal in four games from six yards out.
Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp made changes at half-time and gave a rare outing to £6million summer signing David Nugent, but his wretched record of misses for the South Coast club continued.
Nine minutes into the second half he was unmarked to meet Glen Johnson's corner but managed to head wide from only three yards out.
How Blackburn made Pompey pay. In the 77th minute, McCarthy won a ferocious challenge with Pedro Mendes. The ball ran to Matt Taylor but he made a catastrophic pass across his own area and Pedersen hammered home Blackburn's second.
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In the second minute of injury-time Kanu headed a goal to narrow the margin of defeat but it was no more than consolation for a side previously unbeaten in seven match.
Redknapp said: "The Nugent miss was important. We were on top at the time and I felt that if we had scored then we could have gone on to win the game."
PORTSMOUTH (4-5-1): James 6; Johnson 7, Distin 6, Campbell 6, Pamarot 5 (Taylor 45min, 5); Kranjcar 6, Mendes 5, Davis 4, Diop 5 (Nugent 45, 5), Utaka 4; Benjani 5 (Kanu 74, 5). Booked: Diop.
BLACKBURN (4-4-2): Friedel 6; Bentley 5 (Derbyshire 36, 5), Samba 7, Nelson 7, Berner 6; Khizanishvili 6, Mokoena 7 (Emerton 25, 5), Dunn 7, Pedersen 7; McCarthy 8, Cruz 7. Booked: Berner, Dunn.
Man of the match: Benni McCarthy.
Referee: Alan Wiley.
