Final Whistle Report : REDS HELD AT FRATTON PARK

Liverpool have maintained their unbeaten start to the season following a goalless draw at Fratton Park on Saturday lunchtime. Both sides had glorious chances to clinch the three points, most notably a Kanu penalty saved superbly by Pepe Reina in the first half.

The result means the Reds have not conceded in 388 minutes of football.

Liverpool went into the game with Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres on the bench, whilst Peter Crouch got his first league start of the season against his former club.

It took Rafa Benitez's starting XI just four minutes to test old boy David James, who was presented with Pompey's player of the season award for 2006-07 prior to kick-off. His pride almost turned to embarrassment when Yossi Benayoun hit a surprise shot from the left-hand side of the box. Fortunately for the fervent Fratton faithful, their man between the sticks just managed to get down in time.

Seven minutes later Xabi Alonso skied a 30-yard effort following some nice football from Jermaine Pennant, Yossi Benayoun and Andriy Voronin. The latter was impressive from the off.

It was a sublime piece of skill from the Ukrainian that set up Crouch for a half chance on the quarter-hour mark. A minute later Crouch again tested James with a low shot but the Reds were failing to make their early pressure pay.

Inevitably, Pompey started to get into the game. It may have taken them 24 minutes to worry Pepe Reina, but worry him they certainly did. Benjani cut inside from the right, slid his way into the box, then unleashed a fierce drive which was made even trickier to deal with thanks to a deflection from Alvaro Arbeloa. Fortunately, Reina had his wits about him.

He needed to be at his best once more shortly after when Arbeloa was adjudged to have pulled Kanu's shirt in the box. Mike Riley didn't see it but the linesman raised his flag and the Nigerian striker grabbed the ball ready for the spot kick.

Alonso's protests - which earned him a yellow card - delayed its taking, but Reina's save was worth waiting for - for the travelling Kop, at least.
Liverpool came out all guns blazing at the start of the second half. Well you would, wouldn't you, after sharing an orange with Messrs Gerrard, Torres, Hyypia and Babel - all itching to get on. If today's fixture had been a five-a-side between the two benches, it would have been 10-0 to the visitors by now.

Just 35 seconds after the restart, Crouch volleyed narrowly over following a fine cross from Steve Finnan. Within the blink of an eye the big man was in the box again only to be out-muscled by Portsmouth skipper Sol Campbell.

Then it was Voronin's turn to threaten. Liverpool's new number 10 carved a wonderful opportunity for himself on 54 minutes but was denied by the bar.

Not that Pompey were simply accepting their fate. Indeed, they could and perhaps should have gone ahead when John Utaka missed with aplomb from inside the six-yard box.

Enter Fernando Torres, who had half an hour to seal the three points. Within half a minute his tidy footwork earned a free-kick right on the edge of the box. Yossi Benayoun claimed the ball but his curler failed to test James.

Nine minutes later the Spaniard had a glorious chance to open the scoring after being fed through by Gerrard, just on for Jermaine Pennant. Sadly, Torres hit his left-footed shot well over.

He nearly made up for it with five minutes to go with some sterling work down the left but his cross was just a mite too strong for the in-coming Voronin.

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Breakdown

11:46 GMT : Match Starts
1 min : Portsmouth get the game underway
4 mins : Benayoun fires in a low drive which James does well to turn away to safety. First shot of the game
6 mins : Voronin fires in a cross from the left which is well defended
8 mins : Liverpool find space in the area but Voronin and Benayouncan't combine effectively and the opening is gone
10 mins : Alonso drives a long range drive well over James' goal
15 mins : Sissoko is challenged from behind as Liverpool win a free kick. Not much has happened so far
17 mins : First chance of the game as Sissoko finds Crouch and the striker forces a good save from James at his near post
20 mins : Kanu wins a flick on inside the area but the ball rolls harmlessly out of play
22 mins : Alonso's free kick from the edge of the area is driven disappointingly into the Pompey wall
24 mins : Benjani is presented with the ball on the right of the area but his shot is deflected behind for a corner
27 mins : Utaka charges down the left and his attempted cross is blocked for another corner
29 mins : First Booking: Papa Bouba Diop: Booked for catching Benayoun in the face during an aerial challenge
31 mins : Kanu misses from the penalty spot as Reina dives to his right to make a smart stop
36 mins : Liverpool win another free kick on the edge of the box and have another chance of a shot at goal
33 mins : First Booking: Xabi Alonso:
38 mins : Agger tries to reach the floated free kick at the far post but is unable to do so
39 mins : Another poor free kick from Alonso as he smashes a free kick into the wall
41 mins : Voronin lucky to escape a yellow card after a rash challenge in the middle of the field on Johnson
42 mins : Davis extends Reina with a drive from the angle of the area which is comfortably stopped
45 mins : One extra minute to be played
12:33 GMT : Half Time Reached
12:49 GMT : Second Half Begins
46 mins : Liverpool get the second period underway with Rafa making no changes at the break
47 mins : Almost a great start to the half as Crouch volleys just over from Pennant's cross
51 mins : Sissoko and Hreidarsson square up to each other but the ref takes no action. The game hasn't improved
52 mins : The ball falls kindly to Utaka in the area but he smashes the ball wide with a gaping goal to aim for
54 mins : Liverpool's best chance of the game as Voronin controls the ball on his chest before volleying against the top of the bar
56 mins : Sissoko volleys a shot goalwards but James makes an easy save. Signs that we're stepping up our tempo now
57 mins : Good defending from Muntari but he then disappears over the hoardings after beating Pennant to the ball
62 mins : Substitution: Fernando Torres for Peter Crouch:
64 mins : First Booking: Glen Johnson:
65 mins : Benayoun bends a free kick wide of target from the edge of the area
67 mins : Substitution: Steven Gerrard for Jermaine Pennant:
68 mins : Substitution: Niko Kranjcar for Benjani Mwaruwari:
69 mins : The two subs combine as Gerrard frees Torres in the area but the Spaniard blazes over from an acute angle
74 mins : Another good chance for Pompey as Muntari blasts Kanu's pass wide of the goal
76 mins : First Booking: Momo Sissoko:
77 mins : Substitution: Ryan Babel for Xabi Alonso:
85 mins : Great work from Torres on the left and his cross to the far post almost finds Voronin who is inches away from tapping the ball home
88 mins : Finnan needs treatment after going down in the area. Looks like he'll be fine
90 mins : The Reds have a chance to snatch it at the end but Benayoun wastes possession and the chance is gone
90 mins : First Booking: Sean Davis:
13:38 GMT : Match Over