Pompey in good stead

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Lassana Diarra broke the deadlock with a close-range strike in the 39th minute, and Pompey's luck was in when Sol Campbell pulled down striker Roberto only for Joao Fajardo to fire over the bar from the penalty three minutes later.

Defoe saw his opportunity from the penalty spot saved in the 48th minute but 12 minutes later he lashed a cross from Nadir Belhadj which flew past goalkeeper Correa Nilson.

Nilson could do nothing when Diarra shot Pompey ahead in the 39th minute. The all-action midfielder came in off the left to play a one-two with Defoe, who tried to take possession himself and head for goal but saw the ball deflect back to his team-mate to bury a close-range drive.

Fratton Park went mad - but within three minutes the fans were silenced when referee Kurt Kircher ruled Campbell had pulled down Roberto in a wrestling match for Yves Hadley Desmarets' free-kick.

The cheer was just as loud as that for Pompey's goal, though, when Fajardo clipped the top of the crossbar with the penalty, not even requiring David James to move.

Pompey clearly needed more than a narrow advantage for the second leg in Portugal in two weeks and should have doubled it three minutes after the break when handed a penalty of their own after Defoe was carelessly tripped by centre-back Joao Moreno.

But the little striker saw heroic Nilson plunge to his left to splendidly keep out his deliberately-aimed spot-kick.

It probably will not matter because within 12 minutes - after big Roberto spurned a good chance at the other end - Defoe had yet another goal after his double against Middlesbrough on Saturday.

It was beautifully crafted down the left once more, new boy Nadir Belhadj taking a pass off the persistent Armand Traore and providing the perfect cross for the former Tottenham goal-poacher to punish poor marking with a sweet half-volley.