- Benjani (53)
- Scholes (15)
- Date:2007-08-15
- Kick-off:19:45
- Venue:Fratton Park
- Attendance:20510
- Referee:Bennett, S
Live Commentary
90mins
They cant! And Pompey with a much revived second half performance, draw the game one-all with United, who should have made their first half domiance tell.
90mins
And United at this rate will be 4 points behind Chelsea, and could that alreadly prove costly to United?
90mins
James saves very well from a Rio Ferdinand header, United came close there.
90mins
And there are FOUR minutes of stoppage time for either side to do that.
90mins
Closing minutes of the game going into stoppage time, and a goal now would surely win the game.
88mins
And what a few minutes there has just been! Ronaldo pointlessly headbutts a Pompey player and is rightly sent off, and both teams are down to ten men!
88mins
Chris Eagles comes on to replace Wes Brown
86mins
Sean Davies also gets booked for something he has said to the referee.
86mins
Vidic is booked for something that he has said to the referee.
85mins
Ronaldo recieves a straight red card after a headbut outside the box before a United corner while right in front of the referee
83mins
Sulley Muntari recieves his second yellow card of the game after a tackle on Carrick and is sent off.
82mins
Giggs didn't look to impressed at being taken off, and with Giggs being the more attacking of the two players, he may well have a point with United looking for a late goal.
81mins
John O'Shea comes on to replace Ryan Giggs.
80mins
With Rooney, Saha and Solskjaer out injured, who can United turn to in the final ten minutes for perhaps a winning goal?
77mins
Into the final 15 and United, if the scores stay the same, will be cursing their luck after not scoring from their first half domination.
75mins
David Nugent seems to fall over his own feet which means he cant get off the shot, much to the relief of United.
74mins
Ronaldo stands with his hands on his hips after he hits the ball well wide from a long range shot.
72mins
James lets the ball loose from a Ronaldo cross, but with Tevez had his back to goal, and wasn't able to fully turn round to tap the ball in.
70mins
A very different game in this second half, alot of the credit should go to manager Harry Redknapp, who's tatical changes at half-time have done the trick.
68mins
The ball goes dangerously across the box and somehow, Vidic, only yards from goal, cant get anything on it, and Pompey survive.
68mins
James makes a great save from a Giggs effort, and United win a corner.
67mins
Ferguson may have to start thinking about if or when to bring off Tevez, the striker isn't fully match fit yet and who knows how long he can last.
64mins
Richard Hughes comes on to replace Noe Pamarot
63mins
Noe Pamarot is down injured and there is a break in play, Redknapp may have to make a change.
62mins
Evra does well to stop Portsmouth scoring a second, Van Der Sar parried a Pompey shot and the French defender was alert to clearing the danger.
60mins
Portsmouth need to make sure that they can keep up this pace and temp of the game, otherwise United could end up domianting Pompey as they did the first half.
57mins
The game has certainly uped in pace and tempo and the home crowd are very vocal as they sense that the game could be their's for the taking if things persist in this manner.
55mins
Ronaldo hits a powerful free-kick, and james does well to parry it away.
54mins
Sulley Muntari is booked for a foul on Ronaldo.
53mins
Benjani Mwaruwari heads Pompey level after Vidic is unable to get to a Matty Taylor cross, and after such a bright restart, Pompey do deserve the goal.
52mins
Tevez has to act quickly to get his shot on goal, but he cant control it and the striker volleys the ball over the bar.
51mins
Giggs sees James out of his goal and tries a long range shot, but the ball goes safely wide.
49mins
Nani, after good work from Ronaldo, has a good shot on goal leaving James to make a good save.
48mins
Portsmouth have changed formation and have started much brighter, home fans will be hoping that their side can continue this.
45mins
Harry Redknapp has made a double substitution with Djimi Traore and Matthew Taylor comming on for Martin Cranie and Miguel Pedro Mendes
45mins
The game restarts and Pompey will be looking to play much better than they did the first half, but with United in this form, will they be able to?
45mins
The minute is up and United do go into the break with that single goal lead thanks to Paul Scholes' effort from the edge of the box.
45mins
Into stoppage time, which there will be one of, and United will look to stay ahead going into the break
42mins
Vidic shows great alertness after clearing the danger from a Pompey corner.
41mins
John Utaka, who seems to be a good buy for Portsmouth, loses the ball to Scholes, and United easily sweep up a Pompey attack.
39mins
Portsmouth are struggling to even hold onto the ball at the moment, and United seem to have control over the home side.
36mins
Vidic makes himself a nuisance from a corner again, but this time it's at the right end, but he fails to get a clean header on the ball.
34mins
United nearly go 2-0 up after a Ronaldo shot is saved and Tevez almost scores from the rebound, but the danger is avoided.
33mins
Portsmouth have a corner, but Edwin Van der Sar's biggest problem seems to be Vidic who gets in the way, but the Dutch keeper catches safely.
31mins
Nani, Ronaldo and Tevez seem to be forming a good partnership between them, and Sir Alex Ferguson will be pleased with that.
28mins
Tevez plays through Ronaldo, but he is flagged offside, and United, who have a history of losing here, need to take advantage of this continued pressure.
25mins
David Nugent has yet to make his mark in this game, but this is more down to United's defending rather than Portsmouth's attacking.
23mins
United are currently sustaining a good period of pressure, and Pompey need to hold out as going 2-0 down now could be bad news!
20mins
Giggs puts in a good corner and the ball flies dangerously across the box, but Distin can clear the danger.
19mins
The home fans haven't given up and our showing their support for their team, but United are looking more in control at the moment.
16mins
The goal came from good work from Tevez and Nani, and United seem to have settled alot after that goal.
14mins
Paul Scholes scores from a trademark effort from the edge of the penalty area, and after patient build-up, Scholes has fizzed United into the lead
13mins
A Pompey attack seems to fizzle out after the home side just end up passing the ball back to Distin in midfield when there were other more attacking options.
11mins
Rio Ferdinand clears the danger for United after Hermann Hreidarsson had the chance to shot on goal.
8mins
Neither team seems to have settled yet and neither keeper has been tested, but its so early on in the game, and this should change with two such attacking sides.
5mins
Vidic seems to be pushed by David Nugent, and Vidic reacts angrily, but referee Bennett brings some calm to the situation.
4mins
Nani puts in a dangerous corner, but James, making his 133rd consecutive appearance in goal, comes out and makes a great claim on the ball.
2mins
The game has started in a fairly lively tempo, and with the home fans known for their vocal support, we should be in for a great game.
0mins
Steve Bennett is the man in charge for the game at Fratton Park tonight, and all eyes are on Carlos Tevez as this game kicks-off.
0mins
Tevez makes his debut for United and Nani also starts as United begin with: Van der Sar, Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Ronaldo, Carrick, Scholes, Nani, Giggs, Tevez
0mins
Pedro Mendes passes a late fitness test and starts, whereas Sol Campbell doesn't and sits out this game as Pompey start with: James, Pamarot, Cranie, Distin, Hreidarsson, Utaka, Pedro Mendes, Davis, Muntari, Mwaruwari, Nugent
Match Preview
Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson could hand a Premier League debut to Carlos Tevez at Portsmouth after learning that Wayne Rooney is likely to be sidelined for two months.
Rooney suffered a fractured foot in Sunday's goalless draw against Reading at Old Trafford and is not expected to play again until mid-October.
Tevez's long-running transfer saga finally came to an end last week and Ferguson will be happy to start with the Argentina international on Wednesday.
He said: "Carlos Tevez is available now and Louis Saha and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer are training.
"I was considering using Carlos at Portsmouth anyway but, obviously, he will come into our thoughts even more now."
United will also be without long-term injury victims Gary Neville (ankle ligament damage), Ben Foster (cruciate ligaments) and Park Ji-Sung (knee) for the trip to Fratton Park as they aim to bounce back after a disappointing weekend.
Of last season's top-four they were the only ones not to pick up three points as Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea all won hard-fought games by the odd goal.
It won't be easy to take all three points back north though as Pompey boss Harry Redknapp has strengthened a squad that did so well last term.
John Utaka in particular impressed in Saturday's 2-2 draw at Derby County although David Nugent, Sylvain Distin, Hermann Hreidarsson and Sulley Muntari also did well on their debuts.
Redknapp said after the Pride Park draw: "This was the first game of the season and I was expecting Derby to play the way they did, because any team that has just come up is going to have a right go.
"It's going to be a long old season, a tough one, and if we finish in the top half at the end of it, then it will be a great achievement. I will be absolutely delighted."
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Match Report
Cristiano Ronaldo was sent off for the second time in his Premier League career as Manchester United were held for the second time in four days.
Ronaldo was shown a straight red card by referee Steve Bennett four minutes from time after an apparent head butt on Portsmouth substitute Richard Hughes.
Last season's PFA Player of the Year now faces an automatic three-match ban, ruling him out of Sunday's Manchester derby.
Referee Bennett had an eventful night, having earlier dismissed Portsmouth home debutant Sulley Muntari for two bookable offences.
Ronaldo's red overshadowed Carlos Tevez's long-awaited United debut following his protracted move from West Ham.
The Argentine made an instant impression on his adoring new fans by creating Paul Scholes' 15th minute opener.
Tevez did brilliant to hold off the challenge of Noe Pamarot before playing the ball into the feet of Scholes who smashed it into the bottom right corner from 25 yards.
United, who also handed Portuguese winger Nani his full debut, threatened to run riot in a one-sided first half.
Tevez should have got himself on the scoresheet in the 35th minute when David James spilled a Ronaldo shot into his path but the 23-year-old shot wide.
Pompey boss Harry Rednapp brought on Matt Taylor and former Liverpool defender Djimi Traore in a double half-time substitution.
But it was the visitors who again came out of the blocks quickest with James pulling off a superb save with his legs to deny Nani his first goal in English football.
Tevez wasted another gilt-edged opportunity in the 52nd minute when he latched on to Scholes' clever chipped pass only to lift his shot over the bar from six yards.
The South American was made to pay for that blunder when Benjani drew Pompey level with his second goal in as many games.
Substitute Taylor whipped in a teasing cross from the left and Benjani expertly headed into the top corner.
James was called into action again in the 68th minute to chip a Ryan Giggs header over the crossbar.
David Nugent should have been celebrating his first Premier League goal 14 minutes from time after being played in by Benjani, but fell embarrassingly on his backside with the goal gaping.
Muntari, booked ten times and sent off on three occasions for Udinese last season, was sent for an early bath seven minutes from time after picking up a second yellow for a late lunge on Michael Carrick.
Ronaldo quickly followed the Ghanaian four minutes from time as the match descended into farce after a 20-man man brawl over a corner.
Portsmouth Team
Manchester United Team
Portsmouth | Manchester United |
Corners
| 6 | 12 |
Fouls
| 13 | 5 |
Goal attempts
| 7 | 20 |
Shots off target
| 1 | 8 |
Offsides
| 1 | 4 |



90mins
Pompey are holding on now and can United steal a late victory?