Villa cruise past Pompey

Portsmouth's disastrous start to the season continues after they were beaten 2-0 by in-form Aston Villa.

Defensive errors cost visitors dear

Aston Villa extended Portsmouth's miserable start to the season with a comfortable 2-0 victory at Villa Park. The hosts took the lead shortly after the half-hour mark when Nadir Belhadj crudely hacked down Stiliyan Petrov in the box and James Milner converted the resulting penalty. Gabriel Agbonlahor doubled the lead shortly before half-time when he breezed around Tal Ben-Haim and slotted the ball into the net off the post. The visitors created a handful of opportunities in the second-half but a solid display from Brad Friedel ensured that Pompey's wait for their first points of the campaign continues. Portsmouth now hold an unwanted record after the defeat as they have become the only side to lose their opening six matches of a Premier League season. Agbonlahor saw plenty of the ball during the early exchanges in a bright start by the home side but it was Pompey skipper Aaron Mokoena who inadvertently almost gifted Villa the lead after 11 minutes.

Penalty

Ashley Young sent in a dangerous cross to the near post and Mokoena's flick header had to be turned over his own bar by David James. Pompey started to come more into the game and created their first chance after 23 minutes. A corner from Boateng was only half cleared and Michael Brown was able to swing a cross back into the box. Frederic Piquionne rose superbly at the far post but he send his header wide from close range. After 33 minutes Milner broke the deadlock from the penalty spot and Portsmouth could no complaints as Belhadj brought down Petrov after his surging run into the box. Milner stepped-up and powerfully drilled his spot-kick past James for his first league goal of the campaign.

Save

Friedel made his first save after 39 minutes by parrying a low skidding drive from Jamie O'Hara but it was not the beginnings of a Portsmouth comeback. Milner won a high ball and flicked it onto Agbonlahor, who shrugged off the challenge of Tal Ben Haim before beating James. The home side were soon back on the offensive after half-time but Carew miskicked when attempting to connect with a low cross from Agbonlahor. James produced a fine reflex save to turn aside a shot from Petrov after a free-kick from Young had been blocked by the Pompey defensive wall. Boateng then produced a stinging low drive which forced a good save out of Friedel away to his left. Portsmouth then enjoyed their best spell of the game and Friedel was well positioned to keep out Piquionne's shot from 15 yards out. O'Neill made his first substitution after 65 minutes with Carew replaced by Emile Heskey but the England striker would eventually hobble off with an injury. Heskey needed treatment after being fouled by Ben Haim and limped out of the action to be replaced by Fabian Delph as the game petered out into the inevitable Villa win.

Aston Villa	Team Statistics	Portsmouth
2	Goals	0
2	1st Half Goals	0
4	Shots on Target	6
1	Shots off Target	5
2	Blocked Shots	6
7	Corners	5
17	Fouls	13
2	Offsides	2
2	Yellow Cards	0
0	Red Cards	0
71.9	Passing Success	79.6
12	Tackles	19
66.7	Tackles Success	78.9
48.4	Possession	51.6
44.6	Territorial Advantage	55.4