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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=629 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=3><DIV class=mxb><DIV class=sh>Chelsea 2-1 Portsmouth </DIV></DIV></TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width=416><DIV class=mvb><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=416 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=bottom><DIV class=mvb><SPAN class=byl>By Ian Hughes </SPAN></DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
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<DIV class=cap>Shevchenko celebrates scoring Chelsea's opener</DIV></DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Chelsea moved back to the top of the Premiership as two of their under-fire summer signings, Andriy Shevchenko and Michael Ballack, scored a goal apiece.
Previously goal-shy striker Shevchenko gave the Blues the breakthrough their dominance deserved on 55 minutes when he slotted in Frank Lampard's cutback.
And two minutes later Ballack, who had been off-key, nodded Didier Drogba's headed pass into the top corner.
Benjani pulled one back for Portsmouth, converting after a goalmouth scramble.
<DIV class=avinline>That was totally against the run of play and left the scoreline a poor reflection of the match, which Chelsea dominated from start to finish. </DIV>
An inspired David James in the Pompey goal repeatedly kept Chelsea at bay and spared his side a thrashing.
The majority of those stops came in the first half as Chelsea's fluid play and interchanging left the usually sound Pompey defence bewildered.
Arjen Robben, restored to the line-up in place of Claude Makelele, almost opened the scoring when he raced clear on goal, but James spread himself superbly to deflect the Dutchman's chip wide.
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And James was equally excellent when he dived full length to turn away a curling shot from Shevchenko.
Portsmouth had started as though they might make a game of it, and with Kanu in-form up front must have felt there was a chance they could upset the champions.
But Michael Essien had clearly identified the threat of the Premiership's joint top-scorer and sent in a typically robust challenge on Kanu early on.
Perhaps the lanky Nigerian did not fancy it much after that as he was fairly quiet as Pompey were forced on the back foot and he did not come out for the second half.
There was, however, no doubt that Chelsea fancied it - and Robben in particular.
But each time the winger jinked his way into space and unleashed a shot, James was there to repel the effort.
That all changed after the break, when Robben turned provider instead.
And it was his centre into the box which Shevchenko latched onto and finally beat James, albeit with help from a deflection off Sol Campbell's toe.
Relief was evident, both for Shevchenko - who was booked for his celebrations - and for Chelsea.
And that soon turned into a more comfortable feeling for the hosts as Ballack timed his run into the box to connect with Drogba's clever header across goal and put Chelsea two up.
It was Ballack's first Premiership goal for the Blues, and he celebrated as hard as Shevchenko had - and was also cautioned for it.
The German was later denied a second by another superb save from James, who dived to his right to smother a fierce volley.
But before that, Portsmouth had threatened to make the last 20 minutes uneasy for Chelsea as Benjani tucked in from c
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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=203 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><DIV>
<DIV class=cap>Shevchenko celebrates scoring Chelsea's opener</DIV></DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Chelsea moved back to the top of the Premiership as two of their under-fire summer signings, Andriy Shevchenko and Michael Ballack, scored a goal apiece. Previously goal-shy striker Shevchenko gave the Blues the breakthrough their dominance deserved on 55 minutes when he slotted in Frank Lampard's cutback.
And two minutes later Ballack, who had been off-key, nodded Didier Drogba's headed pass into the top corner.
Benjani pulled one back for Portsmouth, converting after a goalmouth scramble.
<DIV class=avinline>That was totally against the run of play and left the scoreline a poor reflection of the match, which Chelsea dominated from start to finish. </DIV>
An inspired David James in the Pompey goal repeatedly kept Chelsea at bay and spared his side a thrashing.
The majority of those stops came in the first half as Chelsea's fluid play and interchanging left the usually sound Pompey defence bewildered.
Arjen Robben, restored to the line-up in place of Claude Makelele, almost opened the scoring when he raced clear on goal, but James spread himself superbly to deflect the Dutchman's chip wide.
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=208 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=5>
</TD><TD class=sib606><DIV class=sihf></DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>And James was equally excellent when he dived full length to turn away a curling shot from Shevchenko.
Portsmouth had started as though they might make a game of it, and with Kanu in-form up front must have felt there was a chance they could upset the champions.
But Michael Essien had clearly identified the threat of the Premiership's joint top-scorer and sent in a typically robust challenge on Kanu early on.
Perhaps the lanky Nigerian did not fancy it much after that as he was fairly quiet as Pompey were forced on the back foot and he did not come out for the second half.
There was, however, no doubt that Chelsea fancied it - and Robben in particular.
But each time the winger jinked his way into space and unleashed a shot, James was there to repel the effort.
That all changed after the break, when Robben turned provider instead.
And it was his centre into the box which Shevchenko latched onto and finally beat James, albeit with help from a deflection off Sol Campbell's toe.
Relief was evident, both for Shevchenko - who was booked for his celebrations - and for Chelsea.
And that soon turned into a more comfortable feeling for the hosts as Ballack timed his run into the box to connect with Drogba's clever header across goal and put Chelsea two up.
It was Ballack's first Premiership goal for the Blues, and he celebrated as hard as Shevchenko had - and was also cautioned for it.
The German was later denied a second by another superb save from James, who dived to his right to smother a fierce volley.
But before that, Portsmouth had threatened to make the last 20 minutes uneasy for Chelsea as Benjani tucked in from c
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