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On Monday, the only matches of the third round of the English Premier League were played, in which the drastically renewed "Portsmouth," who changed their owner this year, crushed last season's UEFA Cup finalists "Middlesbrough" 4-0 as guests.
"Middlesbrough" 0 - 4 "Portsmouth"
7` [0 - 1] Nwankwo Kanu
50` [0 - 2] Benjani Mwaruwari
57` [0 - 3] Nwankwo Kanu
90` [0 - 4] Svetoslav Todorov
The guests took the lead already in the seventh minute of the match, when Nwankwo Kanu sent the ball into the goal after a failed clearance from a corner kick. The hosts could not stop the opponents, but in the first half, former "Portsmouth" forward Yakubu Ayegbeni had two real chances to score.
In the second half, "Middlesbrough" started more actively and created dangerous opportunities with Mark Viduka and Yakubu Ayegbeni, but a defensive mistake allowed Benjani Mwaruwari, left unmarked at the far post, to head in David Thompson's lifted corner kick.
The second goal once again woke up the hosts, who created three chances to soften the result, but luck was not on their side. Just when "Middlesbrough" fans hoped their team could recover, N. Kanu dashed past half of the pitch and chipped the ball over the onrushing "Middlesbrough" goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer.
After appearing on the field as a substitute, Svetoslav Todorov ended the rout of "Middlesbrough" by lobbing the ball over M. Schwarzer following a pass from Sean Davis, allowing "Portsmouth" to achieve their biggest away victory in the club's history.
