The FA Cup has seen much of its fabled romance restored this season with Portsmouth being the sole representative from the top flight to reach the last four - the first time that has happened since 1908!
Giant-killings galore, last-gasp winners and increased attendances have given fresh hope to a competition that was fast retreating into the shadow of the Premier League. No longer is the FA Cup a benevolent society for the likes of Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal.
With so many shock results in 2008 would it be such a surprise to see underdog finalists Cardiff upset the applecart once more?
Dave Jones´s Welshmen are priced at 9/4 to hoist the famous trophy aloft for the first time since 1927 when they beat Arsenal 1-0. If star strikers Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Robbie Fowler are fit and in form those odds could look huge.
But on paper Pompey hold all the aces. With arguably the best keeper in England in David James and a host of African stars like Sulley Muntari, Kanu and John Utaka it´s no real surprise they have comfortably finished in the top half of the Premier table.
Pompey´s Croatian midfielder Niko Kranjcar is reported to be a 15 million pound target for Arsenal - a fee that would comfortably buy the Cardiff side twice over. But at odds of 1/3 are Harry Redknapp´s boys great value? With so much at stake for both sides we predict a nervy final that could well go to extra time and even end in a penalty shoot-out.
That´s a scenario that would certainly favour punters who backed underdogs Cardiff at 9/4 before the game.
It´s interesting to hear many patriotic neutral supporters turning the match into an England versus Wales game. Ironically, Cardiff possess far more English first team players than Portsmouth.
