FA Premiership: Portsmouth were clinical last time out against Leeds at Fratton Park and this match gave them the chance to continue that statement of intent. But, apart from the difference in quality between Fulham and Leeds, Harry Redknapp would have known defeat of the Elland Road side would have no bearing on this match. As Portsmouth have found, their home form has had little bearing on subsequent away trips.
So it was also here as Fulham scored from what was effectively their first attack, after 30 minutes. Jerome Bonnissel crossed from deep, Hayden Foxe tried to head clear but the ball went no further than Louis Saha on the edge of the area and the striker's shot bounced once before finding the net past the unsighted goalkeeper Harald Wapenaar.
Three minutes later the Dutchman, in for Shaka Hislop who, after playing in spite of a long-standing groin injury, had been rested for this match, was again plucking the ball from the net. Foxe should have done better than to let Saha escape him six yards out - that the Frenchman would score was inevitable.
Portsmouth's Steve Stone had missed out on a fourth-minute lead after failing to make contact with Yakubu Ayegbeni's cross. Ten minutes later Jerome Bonnissel cleared a Dejan Stefanovic header off the goal line. Yakubu then did well to find space at the back and almost skipped round Moritz Volz to go one-on-one with Edwin van der Sar, only for the ball to ricochet off his shin, straight to Fulham's goalkeeper.
Portsmouth were meek in the second half. But for the aggression of a Tim Sherwood tackle on Saha the visitors were acquiescent. Only at setpieces did Portsmouth present any threat, with Patrik Berger's deliveries wreaking havoc in the Fulham box.
Then Steed Malbranque put through Saha but the pass required work for it to become a goal. This time the 25-year-old did not stoop to conquer.
Guardian Service
FULHAM: Van der Sar, Volz, Melville, Knight, Bonnissel, Legwinski, Clark, Malbranque, Hayles (Inamoto 68), Sean Davis, Saha (Sava 70). Subs Not Used: Crossley, Djetou, Pratley. Goals: Saha 30, 33.
PORTSMOUTH: Wapenaar, Stefanovic, Foxe (Taylor 60), De Zeeuw, Schemmel, Sherwood, Stone (Burton 73), Berger, O'Neil (Smertin 60), Sheringham, Ayegbini. Subs Not Used: Srnicek, Zivkovic. Sent Off: Berger (82). Booked: Stone, Schemmel, Sherwood.
Referee: A Wiley (Staffordshire).
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