Chelsea 2 Portsmouth 1: Andriy Shevchenko finally ended his long wait for a Chelsea goal at Stamford Bridge as the champions moved clear at the top of the Premiership.

Shevchenko struck in the 55th-minute to put the Blues ahead against Portsmouth. Michael Ballack made it two with his first Premiership goal and Pompey could not find a way back despite Benjani Mwaruwari's strike.

For Shevchenko, it was his first goal at the Bridge since his £30 million move from AC Milan in the summer - his only previous strikes coming in the Community Shield and a Premiership defeat at Middlesbrough.

But, more than his goal it was his all-round performance which delighted Chelsea fans.

The Ukrainian looked a constant threat and could have scored a hat-trick without a brilliant effort from Pompey keeper David James. Shevchenko had one goal disallowed for offside and produced two top-class saves from James in the first half.

It was starting to look as though he would be frustrated again when the breakthrough came, 10 minutes after the break.

Arjen Robben, who terrorised Pompey all afternoon with his blistering pace, found Shevchenko with a low cross from the left. His shot clipped Sol Campbell's heel on the way past James a huge cheer rang around Stamford Bridge as the ball nestled into the net.

It was the goal they wanted from the man they wanted to score it. Shevchenko ran and threw himself into the crowd behind the goal and was then booked for doing so.

Ballack doubled the lead with a simple header, two minutes later, and was also booked by Mark Clattenberg for his celebration.

It was Shevchenko's day but, for a long time, it looked like being another tale of missed chances for the Ukrainian.

Pompey keeper James was in brilliant form and kept Chelsea at bay with a string of excellent saves in the first-half.

Chelsea also had the ball in the net twice in the first half but both efforts were rightly ruled out. Didier Drogba fouled James as he tried to save a header from John Terry and then Shevchenko scored but was flagged offside.

Shevchenko broke the deadlock with his first goal since August 23rd in a 2-1 defeat at the Riverside Stadium.

Ballack, back after a three-match ban, got in the act shortly afterwards.

Robben was involved in Ballack's goal, launching a long ball, deep into the Pompey area, which Drogba headed it back into the centre.

Ballack coasted in front of Linvoy Primus and tucked a simple header past James.

Two minutes later and Chelsea had their third goal of the game disallowed. James was unable to hold Lampard's stinging 25-yarder and Drogba lashed the rebound into the net.

The linesman's flag was up, however, and the replays proved Drogba was half a yard offside when Lampard shot.

Benjani threw Pompey a lifeline with his goal in the 69th minute. Ricardo Carvalho blocked a shot from substitute Andy Cole and Matthew Taylor prevented the Blues from clearing the ball. Benjani pounced to drive past Henrique Hilario from eight yards.

It took the gloss off Hilario's 31st birthday but he has done a good job in place of injured duo Carlo Cudicini and Petr Cech.

James made another superb save from a Ballack blockbuster and then turned a fierce shot from Drogba over the bar. Gary O'Neil cleared a Terry header off the line in the 88th minute.