Ten-man Villa secured a batling point at Fratton Park after
losing Nobby Solano with just 11 minutes gone.
Skipper Olof Mellberg was a shining light, though David O'Leary's
troops all deserved credit.
Ridgewell comfortably cut out and cleared a Viafara cross from the
right on one. Solano's free-kick was easily cleared by the hosts
two minutes later.
Mellberg scrambled a dangerous Robert corner from the right clear
on seven.
Sorensen produced a point-blank save to deny LuaLua from another
testing Robert corner two minutes later.
Moments later Villa were reduced to ten men as Solano was ruled to
have thrown an elbow at Hughes. The Pompey man hauled Solano
back.
Ten man Villa had the lead on 11 as Phillips met Barry's free-kick
with a back header that glanced off Hughes.
McCann sent a free-kick straight to Westerveld on 13 as DOL's men
looked for a second.
Robert tested Sorensen from 35 yards on 17, but the Villa No1
gathered with ease.
Phillips tried something similar three minutes later, but failed to
trouble Westerveld. Mellberg then cleared from Robert's left-wing
cross.
LuaLua had the home fans out of their seats on 27 as he fired into
the side-netting from Viafara's angled ball from the left.
Sorensen easily collected Robert's left-wing cross on 35 as the
hosts looked to make their extra man count.
LuaLua levelled matters on 42, cutting in from the left to send a
25-yard curling effort past Sorensen.
Whittingham clipped the bar with a vicious left-foot free-kick on
44 as Villa looked to restore the lead.
Barry's curling free-kick on 46 failed to trouble Westerveld. Davis
then headed behind from Robert.
Mellberg might have restored Villa's lead on 49, but headed
narrowly wide from Whittingham's left-wing corner.
O'Neill sent a low drive flashing past the upright on 54.
Mellberg's header hit Ridgewell on 63 as the Villa skipper met a
Whittingham corner. Moments later ONeill should have scored, but
blazed over from close-range.
With Villa restricted to attacks on the break as the second-half
wore on, Sorensen brilliantly denied Robert on 66, palming the
Frenchman's angled drive wide.
Substitute Moore flashed a glancing header wide from Barry's
free-kick on 74. Robert then fired high and wide at the other
end.
Mellberg brilliantly marshalled the defence as Pompey threw
everything at Villa.
Hughes dragged a left-foot drive wide from the edge of the box on
88. LuaLua then fired over from distance.
