Blackburn 1-0 Portsmouth

Virtual Replay: 3D animation of Jansen's goal for Blackburn

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Matt Jansen got Mark Hughes's managerial reign at Blackburn off to a winning start against Portsmouth.

Jansen came off the bench to fire in a 75th minute winner, turning sharply to rifle home from 12 yards as Portsmouth's defence backed off.

Blackburn had the edge in a game of poor quality, with Brett Emerton and Paul Dickov almost doubling their lead.

Before Jansen's goal, Yakubu wasted a chance to put Pompey ahead by blasting over from 10 yards.

Dickov neatly cushioned the ball off to give Barry Ferguson the first sight of goal on three minutes and the Scottish international rifled his shot a foot wide from 20 yards.

Yakubu's pace and strength caused early problems and when he showed a willingness to run at Blackburn's defence it took the combined efforts of Craig Short and Dominic Matteo to crowd him out.

Ricardo Fuller won a free-kick 23 yards out but Amdy Faye's tame shot straight at Brad Friedel summed up the early exchanges.

Dejan Stefanovic had to be alert to stop Dickov connecting with Michael Gray's near post cross and the former Sunderland defender then whipped in a cross for Jonathan Stead to spin and ping a shot just wide.

Dickov worked hard to try and inspire Blackburn

Although Blackburn began to gain a grip in midfield they were unable to make any impression as Portsmouth sat deep and absorbed the pressure.

Pompey were forced into a 34th-minute reshuffle when Steve Stone replaced the injured Eyal Berkovic and the former Villa man fashioned the visitors' first chance with a neat pass to Fuller who stepped inside Matteo before driving a shot into the side-netting.

Patrik Berger lightened up the dull proceedings in first-half stoppage time with a raking low shot which drew a full-length save from Friedel.

That will have given Mark Hughes and Matt Jansen confidence From Sajid Sidat Have your say on 606

Blackburn forced a series of corners at the start of the second half but Stefanovic and Linvoy Primus were rocks at the heart of the Portsmouth defence.

Pompey keeper Shaka Hislop almost gifted Blackburn an opener on 57 minutes when he spilled Lorenzo Amorouso's powerful free-kick and he was relieved when Dickov put the loose ball wide under pressure from Stefanovic.

Blackburn were beginning to force Portsmouth back and after Janssen planted a header wide from a corner Brett Emerton's goal-bound shot deflected wide off team-mate Dickov with Hislop stranded.

Portsmouth looked content to scrap it out for a draw but should have gone in front when Yakubu wrestled his way past Matteo only to blast over from 10 yards with only Friedel to beat.

At the other end Dickov weaved his way inside to fire in a shot which Primus bravely blocked.

Blackburn's pressure eventually told on 75 minutes when Jansen fired them ahead.

Pompey's defence backed off as Lucas Neill surged forward and as the Australian laid the ball into Jansen's feet Stefanovic stood off to allow Jansen to turn and bury his shot from 12 yards.

Rovers came close to doubling their lead when first Dickov and then Emerton were inches wide with powerful shots.

Referee Mark Clattenberg angered Pompey when he booked Fuller for diving when he appeared to be shobed over by Friedel in the penalty area.

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Blackburn: Friedel, Neill, Short (Amoruso 41), Matteo, Gray, Emerton, Ferguson, Flitcroft, Pedersen (Jansen 58), Stead (Bothroyd 64), Dickov. Subs Not Used: Tugay, Enckelman.

Goals: Jansen 75.

Portsmouth: Hislop, Primus, Stefanovic, Unsworth, Griffin, Berkovic (Stone 35), Faye, Quashie, Berger (Kamara 76), Fuller, Yakubu.
Subs Not Used: Taylor, Cisse, Ashdown.

Booked: Griffin, Stefanovic, Fuller.

Att: 20,647.

Ref: M Clattenburg (Co Durham).