Defoe penalty gives Portsmouth victory

The England striker converted a stoppage-time penalty at the Stadium of Light to snatch all three points after the Black Cats failed to make the most of a host of opportunities.

Algerian midfielder Nadir Belhadj had earlier blasted a 51st-minute shot past Sunderland goalkeeper Marton Fulop to cancel out Djibril Cisse's early opener.

Cisse was twice denied by David James before the break and then had a second-half header disallowed for offside, while his Sunderland team-mate Kieran Richardson hit a post.

But Portsmouth rallied after the restart to make a much more even contest of it and leave the bulk of a crowd of 37,712 frustrated.

Sunderland made a stunning start when Cisse sprinted on to Andy Reid's perfect through-ball to slot past James.

Cisse could have had a hat-trick before half-time but Sunderland had just a slender advantage and Portsmouth began the second half positively.

Full-back Noe Pamarot scuffed a long-range shot wide before Belhadj drilled a superb left-footed effort beyond Fulop.

Defoe shot wide twice in quick succession before Cisse had an effort disallowed - correctly - for offside at the other end.

Defoe was denied by Fulop with three minutes remaining, but he made no mistake when, after Glen Johnson had been tripped by El-Hadji Diouf, he sent the goalkeeper the wrong way from the penalty spot to snatch victory.