Portsmouth frustrated West Ham to claim a hard earned 0-0 draw at Upton Park, although Kanu could have stolen all three points in the final minute. With West Ham looking to add to a solitary point from their last six games and Portsmouth hoping to deliver back-to-back victories for new boss Tony Adams, the game started at a ferocious pace but for all the effort on display there was a distinct lack of quality.
In the third minute at the Stadium of Light, Djibril Cisse held off Sol Campbell and finished well from a brilliant through ball by Andy Reid. Portsmouth levelled in breathtaking fashion after the break, the ball fell to Nadir Belhadj who fired off a howitzer that flew into the net. Tony Adams then got the break he was looking for since taking over at Pompey, Glen Johnson was brought down by El Hadji Diouf in the box and Jermain Defoe crashed in the penalty for the three points.
Amr Zaki gave the visitors the lead on the stroke of halftime converting a penalty after yet another foul in the box from Papa Bouba Diop. Pompey looked to have secured a point when Nico Kranjcar lashed the ball home past Kirkland eight minutes from time. But Emile Heskey scored his 100th career in injury time to deny Tony Adams his first result as the new boss.
Just after the hour, Defoe layed the ball off to Peter Crouch to his right, and the beanpole striker sidefooted into the corner to break the deadlock. Clint Dempsey got the leveller with three minutes remaining when he steered home Nevland’s cross after being picked out unmarked in the penalty box.
Luis Aguiar gave Braga a dream start at home to Portsmouth when he cracked in a 30-yard free-kick which left David James for dead. Within sixty seconds of the restart it was two, Cuesta turning on the edge of the before and scoring. Alan made it three three minutes from time, collecting a rebound after Campbell’s interception hit the post.
Ten-man Portsmouth held out for a point at Villa, but the home side could scarcely claim to have deserved any more from the match having relied on Brad Friedel to keep them on level terms before Sean Davis was sent off with nine minutes left.
Despite having shipped ten goals in their last two matches, Pompey started positively against rock-bottom Spurs, Richard Hughes was twice denied by Gomes from taking the lead. Jemaine Jenas was then guilty of an idiotic handball from a free-kick, Jermain Defoe slotting home the resulting penalty to give the hosts the halftime lead. After the break matters didn’t get better for Spurs, and Portsmouth unsurprisingly doubled their lead when Defoe fed Troare on the left hand side, his shot was blocked by Gomes but Peter Crouch was on hand to head home the second. In the final stages Diarra was dismissed for a second yellow for a rash tackle on Assou-Ekotto. Spurs stay rooted to the foot of the table on a pathetic two points from six games.
Frank Lampard converted a 36th minute penalty after Michael Ballack had been brought down and Florent Malouda made it 2-0 just before half-time. David James gifted Lampard his second goal of the night on 49 minutes before poor play by Sylvain Distin allowed Salomon Kalou to complete the route on 64 minutes.
