Portsmouth Leeds at the interval

Leeds 0 Portsmouth 1 HT

Aiyegbeni Yakubu put Portsmouth in the driving seat in the crucial relegation battle against Leeds today.

The Nigerian striker made the breakthrough in the ninth minute when he headed home a cross from Steve Stone.

Leeds found themselves on the back foot in the 26th minute after Alexei Smertin cleverly worked the ball out of defence and raced up the park.

He tried to pick out Lomana LuaLua but goalkeeper Paul Robinson was alert to the danger and intercepted the pass.

The home side were finding it difficult to get into the game although Duberry made space in the area when Ian Harte delivered the corner.

However, the central defender sent a shot from close range high into the crowd to Portsmouth’s relief.

Leeds continued to push forward until the break but the visitors’ defence looked well organised.

Stone then latched on to a crossfield ball from Yakubu but his weak shot failed to trouble Robinson.