Chelsea 1-0 Portsmouth

Frank Lampard grabbed the only goal of an open encounter to end Portsmouth's unbeaten start to the season and send Chelsea top of the Premier League.

Claudio Pizarro squandered two fine chances before Lampard burst onto Didier Drogba's exquisite back-flick and drilled the ball under David James.

But Pompey also created plenty and Matthew Taylor shot narrowly wide.

And in the final moments Ashley Cole was forced to clear Hermann Hreidarsson's header off the line.

Chelsea began brightly on a scorching day and Pizarro almost justified his inclusion at the expense of Salomon Kalou within a minute but he dragged his shot wide from the edge of the box.

Florent Malouda then fizzed an effort into the side-netting after a surging run by Michael Essien.

And Pizarro had his second excellent chance of the game but headed wastefully over from Malouda's perfectly delivered inswinging free-kick.

But after a nervy opening spell the visitors settled and they started to threaten.

Kanu and the impressive John Utaka were posing plenty of problems to the Blues backline and the visitors began to reap the rewards for matching the home side's 4-4-2 formation.

Pompey's best chance of the half saw Taylor send a deflected effort agonisingly wide off Tal Ben Haim after great hold-up play from Kanu on the right flank.

But with Portsmouth gaining in confidence, Chelsea took the lead through a typical Lampard effort - his third goal in a week.

A long ball was expertly held-up by Drogba and the England midfielder burst through onto the Ivorian's clever backheel to crash the ball low and hard through David James and into the back of the net.

Lampard then tested James with a 25-yard free-kick while seconds before the break Taylor's delightful chipped effort crept just over the bar with Petr Cech beaten.

Both sides continued to fashion chances in the second half but it was Pompey who looked the more likely

Gary O'Neil twice went close to restoring parity in the opening 15 minutes of the second half.

First the midfielder blazed over from eight yards after more clever play from the elusive Kanu.

And then O'Neil sent a shot just wide after a lightning breakaway following a Chelsea corner.

Juliano Balletti came on for his Chelsea debut with just over 25 minutes left and Pompey nearly profited from the new man's unfamiliarity with his new surroundings.

A diagonal ball saw Benjani Muwaruwari get in behind the former Barcelona man but the Pompey substitute miscontrolled the ball and was unable to find a finish from an acute angle.

At the other end a stunning last-ditch tackle by the masterful Soil Campbell denied Drogba with ten minutes left and the Ivorian then ran through and smashed a shot at goal which James did well to keep out.

But Pompey had the best chance of the game in the dying seconds.

Chelsea failed to clear a set-piece and after Kanu had accidentally blocked David Nugent's close-range effort, Hreidarsson was denied by Ashley Cole's acrobatic headed goalline clearance.