Campbell's first for 16 months secures Reds win

FT: Portsmouth 0 Arsenal 1

Sol Campbell’s first Barclays Premiership goal in 16 months stunned luckless Portsmouth and enabled champions Arsenal to move back into second place and within five points of leaders Chelsea.

Campbell strode forward and fired home from 25 yards to end Portsmouth’s four-match unbeaten run under the caretaker management of Velimir Zajec and Joe Jordan.

But for long spells in the second half it was Portsmouth who looked the quicker and sharper side, giving Arsenal’s defence a real test.

Arsenal’s Spanish goalkeeper Manuel Almunia made two remarkable late saves from Lomana LuaLua to keep his second clean sheet for the Gunners.

Clichy was lucky to escape a booking for a bad foul on LuaLua and referee Webb also let a body-checking challenge by Amdy Faye on Bergkamp go unpunished.

Campbell headed away a free-kick as Pompey piled on pressure, but Stone took a swipe at the clearance from 25 yards and was not far off the mark.

Then 15 minutes from time Campbell strode forward to crack home a low drive from 25 yards as the entire home defence backed off him.

Ashdown had no chance as the thunderous drive, hardly a Campbell trademark, rippled the net.

Henry’s header almost made it 2-0 but Portsmouth were determined to make it a grandstand finish.

Cole was booked for a foul on LuaLua who then hit two ferocious shots, the first striking Almunia in the face and the follow-up being pushed out by the ‘keeper.