From the resulting corner, the ball falls to O'Hara who hits the ball well only for it to be deflected wide for another corner.

O'Hara knocks the ball into the penalty area and Piquionne's header forces Gordon to tip the ball round the post.

Kanu works his way down the wing, but his cross is poor and easily headed away by Jones.

There will be six minutes of added time at the end of this game. Can Portsmouth get an equaliser?

Gordon rushes out of his goal to help out his two central defenders who had left the ball for each other.

Finnan cuts inside and curls a cross into the penalty area, but it is too close to Gordon who collects well for his side.

Dindane powers forward with purpose, but he runs out of energy at the wrong time and McCartney manages to prevent any danger.

That moment almost comes as Piquionne heads wide from Belhadj's cross under pressure from Kilgallon.

Portsmouth need to dig deep now and hope for a moment or two of magic from one of their players.

Kanu somehow works his way through the Sunderland defence before dragging a shot wide of the post.

The home side are pushing everyone forward now, even full-back Wilson who has his ambitious shot from distance blocked by Sunderland.

Reid slides the ball into the path of Bent who watches on as his shoot trickles past the post and the sliding Jones.

Diop controls the ball well and sets Dindane on his way down the wing, only for Hutton to win possession back for the visitors.

O'Hara does well to beat two Sunderland players before forcing a decent save from Gordon with a left foot shot.

Corner for the home side is taken towards the six yard box and headed away by Jones before falling to Diop who shoots miles over the bar.

Sunderland on the other hand have struggled more on the road as they haven't won away since the opening day of the season.

Part of Portsmouth's problem this season has been their home form, with only 10 points in 11 league games at Fratton Park.

A quick free-kick for Portsmouth is squared to O'Hara who drills the ball towards goal only for it to be well saved by Gordon.

From the next Sunderland corner, Reid's cross finds the head of Turner who heads the ball over the bar.

From the resulting free-kick, the ball falls to Matthew Kilgallon who watches on as his hooked effort comes back off the post.

Bent finds himself clear on the Portsmouth goal after poor defending, but his shot is well saved by James who stood firm.

Basinas works himself into some space and manages to get a shot away, but it goes comfortably wide of the target.

McCartney launches a long and floating ball into the box, but James shows confidence to collect with ease.

Bent goes down under the challenge from Hassan Yebda as the game settles down for the first time since the break.

Piquionne almost creates something from nothing as his clever cross just avades the head of Dindane.

O'Hara tries his luck from long range but it is high, wide and handsome from the midfielder as it fails to trouble Gordon in the Sunderland goal.

Piquionne rushes through on goal and is brought down by Wilson inside the penalty area, but nothing is given by the referee.

Corner for the home side is whipped in by O'Hara only for Bent to head away as far as Ben Haim who has his shot blocked.

The resulting free-kick is taken by O'Hara from 25 yards, but it goes low into the wall before being deflected wide for a corner.

Dindane pushes his way forward through the Sunderland defence and is eventually brought down by Cattermole.

O'Hara is working extremely hard for his side tonight and has been their best player by a long way.

Sunderland have conceded 15 goals in their last four away games, so perhaps Portsmouth will take heart from this.

Corner to Sunderland is whipped in by Reid and easily headed away by Wilson.

Avram Grant was sent to the stands in the break for having one too many words with the referee and will not be in the dugout for the second half.

Corner to Sunderland towards the far post is punched away well by James as Sunderland clear the danger.

There will be four minutes of stoppage time at the end of the first half as Malbranque has just had a spell down injured.

Jones turns beautifully in the centre circle before being brought down by Ben Haim who is lucky not to be shown a yellow-card.

Portsmouth have only scored two goals in their last six games and they will need this many in the remainder of this game if they are to secure a needed three points.

Bent collects the ball after good work from Jones, but his touch lets him down and he fails to get a shot away.

Diop blasts an effort towards goal from distance and many home fans think the ball is in the net, but it in fact hit the side netting.

Dindane does superbly to skip past Turner and Lorik Cana before his cross is crucially headed away by Sunderland.

Steve Bruce will be very happy with his team so far, but will want to ensure that they get to the break ahead.

The ball falls to Basinas within shooting range and his strike is good, but blocked superbly by George McCartney.

Free-kick for the home side is whipped in by O'Hara, but it doesn't reach Diop at the back post and Sunderland clear.

O'Hara squares the ball to Piquionne who appeals for a free-kick after being bundled down by a Sunderland player, but the referee waves play on.

Portsmouth are still pushing forward with purpose and are by no means giving this game up.

Dindane pushes forward and lays the ball off to O'Hara who connects cleanly with a strike that goes just wide of the post.

Malbranque collects the ball off Jones and shows good skill to work a cross onto the head of Bent who heads over from 8 yards.

Dindane squares the ball to O'Hara in space, but the midfielder fails to get it under control and fails to get a decent shot away.

Papa Bouba Diop tries to push forward, but he creates groans from the crowd as he gives the ball away under no pressure at all.

Hutton is the man to knock the ball into the Portsmouth penalty area and creates hesitation from James before Ben Haim eventually clears.

Sunderland launch the ball forward towards Bent, but James get there first and grabs possession for his side.

Lee Cattermole finds some space in the Portsmouth half and tries his luck from 25 yards out, only for it to go comfortably wide of the target.

Reid whips in the resulting free-kick towards the back post where Jones is waiting, but Portsmouth manage to head away.

The resulting corner comes in from O'Hara, but it fails to beat Bent at the near post who heads the ball away.

Dindane collects the ball off Steve Finnan before forcing an excellent save from Craig Gordon.

Tal Ben Haim takes too many touches in front of his own penalty area and under pressure from Bent, he just manages to scramble it back to James.

Dindane tries his luck from a bizarre angle on the right hand side, but it goes straight out of play for a goal-kick.

In fact, Sunderland haven't won a top flight game at Fratton Park since 1958.

Portsmouth will still fancy their chances of getting back into this game as they are unbeaten in their last 5 games against Sunderland in all competitions.

Jones collects the ball with his back to goal and lays it off to Reid who is robbed of possession by Wilson before he can get a shot away.

Aruna Dindane plays a clever pass into the path of Frederic Piquionnem, only for Michael Turner to slide in and win the ball.

Hutton does superbly well to move past his man before squaring the ball to Malbranque who has hit shot blocked well by Marc Wilson.

Bent has now scored 16 goals this season, giving him an excellent chance of going to South Africa this summer.

Kenwyne Jones turns well as Sunderland push forward again, but his lofted shot goes comfortably into the arms of James.

Sunderland win a penalty as Bent is brought down by Rocha after racing clear on goal.

Jamie O'Hara chips the ball into the Sunderland penalty area and it eventually falls to Angelos Basinas who drives the ball out of play with an attempted cross.

Steed Malbranque collects the ball off a quick Andy Reid free-kick, only for his first time cross to be blocked and cleared comfortably by Portsmouth.

Jamie O'Hara finds some space on the right hand side, but his cross into the box is to high for everyone and goes out of play.

Darren Bent chases the ball down with Ricardo Rocha and the Portsmouth man eventually wins the battle to clear away for his side.

Sunderland look to push forward through Alan Hutton, but the on-loan defender's touch lets him down and Portsmouth win possession.

Both sides go into this game remarkably out of form. Portsmouth have recorded just one point in their last six games, while Sunderland have gone 11 games without a win.