Portsmouth won at Old Trafford for the first time in 50 years to progress into the semi-finals of the FA Cup.

The South Coast side won 1-0 thanks to stout defending and winning a penalty, when Milan Baros was brought down by substitute keeper Tomasz Kuszczak, who was sent-off.

Sulley Muntari converted the spot-kick in the 78th minute, hitting the left-hand corner past stand-in keeper Rio Ferdinand.

United will wonder how they lost this game after hitting the post through Patrice Evra and having Carlos Tevez and Michael Carrick efforts cleared off the line, while they also had a clear-cut penalty rejected when Cristiano Ronaldo was brought down by Sylvain Distin.

United dominated possession and almost went ahead in the fifth minute when Paul Scholes got on the end of a free-kick from Nani only to head wide at the near post.

Ronaldo thought he had won a penalty a minute later when he was bundled over by Distin, but referee Martin Atkinson allowed play to continue.

The visitors broke out of their slumber six minutes later, and Niko Kranjcar tested goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar from distance.

United almost took the lead in the 19th minute when Tevez got clear, after Wayne Rooney latched on to a pass from Wes Brown. But the Argentinian striker saw his effort superbly cleared off the line by Glen Johnson.

United kept up the pressure, and Scholes turned quickly in the 28th minute but saw his effort blocked by Portsmouth captain Sol Campbell.

Tevez worked an opening for himself four minutes later and fired in a shot that David James did well to parry.

Nani tried to pick out Rooney, but Distin was alert to the danger and made a timely interception in the 41st minute. Distin again stood tall in the 44th minute to head the ball to safety following a fine cross from Patrice Evra.

United boss Sir Alex Ferguson made a surprise switch at half-time, with Kuszczak replacing van der Sar between the posts.

There was a scare for Portsmouth in the 49th minute when James flapped at a cross from Tevez. But he recovered in time to prevent Nani getting in a shot.

Nani was coming more into the game and sent a powerful effort into the goalkeeper's body two minutes later, after being released by Rooney.

With Kanu out of luck, Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp replaced him with Baros after 55 minutes. United almost went in front three minutes later when Nemanja Vidic powered in a header from Nani's corner.

But Tevez made an accidental block, and Ronaldo fired his effort wide after the ball had been only partially cleared.

Substitute Carrick should have put United ahead in the 69th minute when he got away from James - but just as he was about to score, Distin made a vital block.

United came within inches of taking the lead in the 73rd minute when Evra's shot came back off the post. A minute later, Campbell headed away a cross from Nani as Portsmouth again found themselves on the back foot.

But the game took a dramatic turn in the 78th minute when Portsmouth were awarded a penalty after Kuszczak tripped Baros, who had been released by Kranjcar. The Polish goalkeeper was sent off, and Ferdinand therefore had to take his place between the posts.

Benjani helped himself to a hat-trick as Portsmouth beat Reading 7-4 at Fratton Park in an 11-goal thriller.

The Zimbabwean striker put Pompey two-up before Liam Rosenior's close-range effort pulled one back on the stroke of half-time.

Dave Kitson capitalised on a moment of madness by David James to level matters within minutes of the restart.

Hermann Hreidarsson's header restored Pompey's lead, although Reading should have equalised again when Nicky Shorey saw his penalty saved by James.

The miss proved costly as Benjani added his third and Pompey's fourth with Niko Kranjcar making it 5-2 shortly after.

Shane Long pulled one back although Pompey scored again through Sean Davis and Sully Muntari with Shorey's injury-time strike finally ending the scoring.

Pompey took the lead on seven minutes when James Harper lost the ball to Papa Bouba Diop and Benjani, having sent John Utaka into a crossing position on the left, completed the move by dispatching his colleague's delivery to the back post from close range.

Reading goalkeeper Hahnemann had remained rooted to his line on that occasion but when he came out to claim Kranjcar's corner the American succeeded only in spilling it into Diop's path and was mightily relieved when the Senegal international could only hook the loose ball wide.

Diop's 30-yard shot forced Hahnemann into a diving save before Benjani made it 2-0 in the 37th minute.

Reading had been slow to react for the first goal and were caught out from their own attack this time as Diop's ball from inside his own half found the recalled front man.

Shorey and Ivar Ingimarsson were both unable to impede his progress before Hahnemann was beaten with a well-placed drive from just outside the box.

The lead was no more than Pompey had deserved and Hahnemann somehow deflected Glen Johnson's shot over after Benjani's header had set up the defender at point-blank range.

Davis sent a long-range shot just over but the last word of the half belonged to Reading who pulled a goal back in stoppage time.

Kitson's cross was prodded goalwards by Rosenior, and appeared to bounce over the line off the crossbar before Stephen Hunt followed up smartly to nod home and make sure.

Reading usually concede goals shortly after half-time but this time Kitson scored one, with James' rash rush out of his box allowing it to take place in the 48th minute.

The England goalkeeper never looked likely to reach Hunt's ball from his own half and Kitson, having taken it past him, located the empty net with a perfectly-placed shot from a tight angle on the left.

Pompey reacted strongly and Reading were fortunate to scramble the ball away after Utaka's cross had gone over Hahnemann.

Harper fired a good chance over at the other end but when Diop had a diving header ruled out for offside the reprieve was shortlived for the visitors as Hreidarsson made it 3-2 in the 55th minute.

Again Hahnemann appeared to be at fault, allowing the Pompey defender to beat him to Sylvain Distin's cross and head home from eight yards out.

James made amends for his earlier error by saving Shorey's penalty after Diop had needlessly controlled the ball with an arm in the box.

Benjani made sure the match ball was his with a fine solo clincher with 20 minutes remaining.

Muntari put him through and, with defenders trailing, he made the task of taking the ball round Hahnemann and finding the empty net look easy.

Kranjcar made it 5-2 with a headed conversion of a Davis cross but Long's reply - a deflection off a Harper shot with 10 minutes remaining - was quickly followed by Pompey's sixth from Davis.

© Dave Wateridge