Chelsea are having to resort to hacking the ball away and if they hold on for the three points then they will not believe their luck.

Great chance for Nugent with his first otuch but he miskicks it into the floor from 10 yards out but Hermann Hreidarsson gets the loose ball and Ashley Cole somehow clears it off the line to save his team.

Joe Cole manufactures himself some space for a shot and curls it towards the top corner and it only just drifts wide of the far post.

Pompey on the break now as Muntari picks it up on the edge of the box and eyes up the top corner but Cech gets across well to stop it.

Kalou finally gets a meaningful touch oif the ball and it almost settles the game as he tricks his way into a shooting position and James makes a good diving stop.

Again Pompey are on the attack as Utaka fires just wide from the edge of the box with Cech scrambling and then Ben-Haim is forced into a last ditch block to prevent Kanu tapping in Davis' cross.

Another opportunity for Benjani as he twists and turns on the edge of the box but screws it wide.

Finally Chelsea are able to get forward as Essien picks it up and drives at the defence, with nothing on he takes on the shot fro 25 yards and forces a good save from James who can only parry it away.

Benjani has the ball on the edge of the 6-yard box, back to goal, he gets the ball onto his right foot and Cech makes a superb save with his feet to deny him an equaliser.

Chelsea cannot get out of their own half at the moment and Portsmouth are constantly coming forward but can they grab what would surely be a deserved equaliser?

Taylor whips a great corner in from the right and everyone misses it, including Cech, and it only just drifts wide of the far post.

Pompey again on the charge with Gary O'Neil - who has been quiet - finding himself on the left corner of the penalty area and curling it towards the near post and Cech has to scramble across as the ball clips the side netting.

Portsmouth are all over Chelsea at the moment and frantic clearances from a free-kick and resulting corner eventually give Muntari the chance to strike it from the edge of the box but again it flies just over the bar.

Chelsea are back under pressure as they were for long periods in the first half and Mikel brings down Lauren on the half way line, more out of frustration than anything else.

Davis now though has a superb chance to equalise but he has blazed the ball over the bar from 6 yards out and he is left with his head in his hands.

A well worked Pompey free-kick gives Taylor the chance to shoot from long range and he strikes it well and it whizzes fractionally over the bar with Cech well and truly beaten.

An early opportunity for Wright-Phillips who ended the first period well but a bit of indecision means he doesn't get teh ball out of his feet and he drags it wide from 12 yards out.

Taylor with in all porbability the last chance of the half as he runs forward with the ball and looks to lob Cech with his right foot but he can only loop the ball over the bar.

Lampard is in confident mood and he fires a free-kick goalwards from 30 yards and James does well to parry it out of immediate danger.

The game is drifitng towards the break now with both sides probably wanting to get out of the searing heat and into the comfort of the dressing rooms.

Pompey have a free-kick that Muntari and Taylor have their eyes on and Muntari strikes it but its poor as he drives it into the wall.

Malouda once more gets the ball on the corner of the six yard box as he tries to turn the ball home but he drags it wide of the far post for a goal kick.

Chelsea are all over Pompey now and Malouda drives a cross in and Wright-Phillips has another chance but his left foot volley rises over the bar from the edge of the box.

Wright-Phillips has barely seen the ball in the opening half hour but he has it now and unleashes a shot on goal which James does well to gather at the second attempt.

Muntari again breaks from the centre of midfield and has a crack from 30 yards that curls wide off the outside of his foot, but it would need to be some strike to beat Cech from that distance.

From the corner the ball drops onto the left foot of Muntari who strikes it well and it rises just over Cech's crossbar but Chelsea are looking a touch vulnerable at the moment.

Pompey are coming again and Taylor from the left of midfield comes forward and chances his arm and it deflects just wide via the shin of John Terry.

The Stamford Bridge crowd are becoming a bit subdued as their team are unable to get themselves going and Portsmouth have not been in any great danger so far.

Good movement and passing from the visitors and Lauren has broken from right back and in behind Ashley Cole and only a superbly timed tackle from Essien prevents Utaka tucking it home.

Pompey are exerting a bit of pressure now as Muntari's effort is blocked by Ben-Haim on the edge on the six yard box and tehn Drogba brings him down as he attempts to get to the loose ball and cross it back in.

Chelsea have a free-kick near the right touchline and Malouda whips it in and Pizarro rises to meet it at the near post but he gets too much on his glancing header as it loops over the cross bar.

The game has come to life a bit all of a sudden as Malouda first escapes down the left and eventually his cross comes back to him via Drogba and he shoots this time but drags it wide.

Pompey now at the other end and Kanu hits a snap shot from outside the penalty area but it is not on target and Cech just watches it wide.

But here is Drogba with the ball on the edge of the box, escaping the attentions of Campbell and curls the ball over the bar, but it was only a half chance.

Pompey have made a promising start and the are disrupting Lampard and Mikel in the Chelsea midfield who are not being allowed to get the ball down and look for passes.

It has been a slightly niggly start to proceedings with a few fouls being committed and both sides trying to find their rhythm.

Interestingly Redknapp's team are playing with two up front with Utaka lining up alongside Kanu early on so an open game could be in prospect.

An early effort from Pizarro as he picks up the ball from Malouda in the left channel and drives the ball towards the far corner and it just flies wide.