Loovens not blaming Enckelman

Defender rues missed chances to score

Last Updated: May 19, 2008 10:25am

Image text here

Loovens challenges Kanu in the final

Sky Bet

Glenn Loovens has refused to blame Peter Enckelman for Cardiff's FA Cup final defeat to Portsmouth.

Enckelman's mistake allowed Kanu to score the only goal of the game in Saturday's showpiece at Wembley.

The Finn failed to hold on to John Utaka's 37th-minute cross and Kanu was on hand to punish the mistake, firing in from close range, but Dutchman Loovens says no one is blaming the keeper for the defeat.

No blame

"No one in our dressing room is pointing a finger at Peter," Loovens told the Daily Express. "Perhaps he should've pushed the ball a bit further to the side of the goal, but it was just bad luck the ball fell to Kanu when there were enough defenders close by.

"I don't think they were the best team. They fed off our mistakes rather than create anything.

Loovens felt he should have drawn Cardiff level in the game after seeing one effort disallowed for handball and a header in the second half which bounced into the ground and over the crossbar.

Miss
"My header in the second half should've been a goal," added Loovens. "I did what you're supposed to do - I headed it down, but it flew up and over the crossbar.

"When things like that happen, you think it's not meant to be.

"The disallowed goal was a bit unlucky because I wasn't trying to control the ball with my hand. It hit my elbow and sat up.

"Hooking the ball in like that was one of my best finishes ever but I knew it wasn't going to be a goal because I heard the whistle even before I hit it."