CHELSEA 1-0 PORTSMOUTH

Chelsea started the game strongly and Claudio Pizarro headed over from Florent Malouda's inswinging free-kick from the right early on Although not playing particularly well, Chelsea underlined their pedigree by going ahead through Frank Lampard.

Didier Drogba held up a long ball out of defence before laying it off to Lampard on the right as he raced through from midfield to fire beyond David James, who got a hand to it but could not stiop it entering the net.. Lampard might have a second when James made a meal of dealing with a 25-yard free-kick from the England midfielder. After the break, Portsmouth's Matt Taylor and Kanu set up a chance for Sean Davies, but he blazed over from eight yards. Juliano Belletti came on for his Chelsea debut after joining this week from Barcelona.

But the new boy made a mistake to let Benjani Mwaruwari through, but the Pompey man's poor first touch let him down and he shot over. But Chelsea were rocking and hanging on in some desperation at the end.