Pompey hang on as Chelsea hit the woodwork five times

Chelsea 0 Portsmouth 0

Chelsea hit the woodwork five times as plucky Portsmouth hung on to keep the scoreline goalless at half-time in the FA Cup final at Wembley.

Chelsea’s Ivorian striker Salomon Kalou was the biggest culprit with a glaring miss from six yards. Kalou’s shot cannoned off the bar with the goal at his mercy.

Portsmouth had one real attack of note when Frederic Piquionne diverted a Kevin-Prince Boateng shot towards the goal but Chelsea keeper Petr Cech produced a fine reflex save.

Double-chasing Chelsea remained unchanged for the FA Cup final against Portsmouth at Wembley.

Right-back Branislav Ivanovic recovered from a slight knee injury to retain his place in the defence.

Portsmouth’s on-loan midfielder Jamie O’Hara was fit enough to start even though he was struggling with a back injury.

Portsmouth’s attack was spearheaded by Frederic Piquionne and Aruna Dindane.

Chelsea, chasing a historic League and FA Cup double, got the game underway and almost opened the scoring in the third minute.

Nicolas Anelka’s progress was halted on the edge of the penalty area and when the ball fell to the feet of Frank Lampard, the normally deadly England midfielder sent his shot just wide of the target.

It was a bright start by Carlo Ancelotti’s side, who had clinched the Barclays Premier League title in emphatic fashion the previous week.

In the 10th minute, Chelsea were gifted a free-kick when Papa Bouba Diop brought down Anelka but the Blues wasted the chance to punish the relegated side when Lampard drove his shot straight at Pompey’s defensive wall.

The England midfielder rattled the Pompey upright in the 13th minute with a 25-yard swerving drive and, moments later, Anelka forced David James into a save at his near post as Chelsea continued to dominate.

Portsmouth were restricted to counter-attacks but they lacked numbers in attack and Chelsea coped easily with any threat.

The Blues carved open Portsmouth once more in the 20th minute but two heroic blocks by Aaron Mokoena denied Didier Drogba.

But Chelsea escaped in the 22nd minute when a shot from Kevin-Prince Boateng was turned goalwards by Frederic Piquionne and only a reflex save from Petr Cech prevented Pompey from taking the lead.

Chelsea’s Salomon Kalou produced one of the biggest misses in FA cup final history in the 26th minute when Ashley Cole burst clear on the left wing.

Cole collected a pass from Florent Malouda on the left, beat Mokoena, and crossed for the unmarked Kalou six yards in front of goal.

But the Ivorian striker somehow managed to strike the ball against the crossbar.

Chelsea rattled the woodwork for the third time in the 29th minute when Terry climbed unmarked at the far post to meet Malouda’s free-kick and plant a header against the crossbar.

In the 35th minute, referee Chris Foy produced a yellow card for the first time in the game when he booked Boateng for a crude and late challenge on Michael Ballack.

Boateng was lucky to stay on the pitch as TV replays showed the tackle was worthy of a red card.

Ballack required lengthy treatment and when the game continued Drogba’s free-kick was touched onto the underside of the crossbar by James and the ball bounced on the line before being cleared.

Chelsea hit the woodwork for the fifth time when Drogba brought the ball down at the far post but although the Ivorian beat James, his shot hit the foot of the post.

Although Ballack had bravely tried to continue, he was replaced by Juliano Belletti in the 43rd minute.