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Match Report
Arsenal v Portsmouth 13 September 2003
SHERI HALTS GUNNERS CHARGE
Arsenal 1-1 Portsmouth
Teddy Sheringham ended Arsenal's 100 percent record in the Premiership with his fifth goal of the season as both teams maintained their unbeaten starts.
Arsenal came into the game as the only club to have won their first four games of the season and were hot favourites to make it five out of five.
But Pompey showed grit and determination to keep the Gunners at bay, restricting them to very few chances indeed.
Former Tottenham striker Sheringham put one over on his old club's arch-rivals in the 26th minute, meeting Steve Stone's cross from four yards out.
But Arsenal hit back through Thierry Henry's twice-taken 40th-minute penalty after Robert Pires went down in the box and the referee harshly awarded a spot kick.
Henry stepped up and slotted the ball to the keeper's right but the referee ordered a re-take because players encroached into the box - Henry duly stepped up and stuck the ball this time to the keepers left.
It was all change for Arsenal as Dennis Bergkamp returned with Sylvain Wiltord and Fredrik Ljungberg on the bench. While, Gilberto Silva was rested meaning starts for Edu and Ray Parlour.
And the changes plus the international games of late looked to have knocked the stride out of the Gunners.
Portsmouth immediately put Arsenal under pressure. There were chances for Patrik Berger, who fired a free-kick wide and Nigel Quashie blazing another shot over the crossbar.
In central midfield, Amdy Faye was making his presence felt, while the pace of striker Yakubu Ayegbini was always likely to trouble Sol Campbell and Kolo Toure.
But it was Pompey's all-round commitment that gave the Gunners little chance to establish any rhythm and it was not until midway through the first half that the home side's first real threat came when Parlour shot a couple of feet over.
But the first real chance went to the visitors. Yakubu's pace took him clear through the centre - but he fired his shot into Jens Lehmann's arms.
However, they were rewarded after 26 minutes. Stone burst past Ashley Cole and crossed for Sheringham, who sent a diving header into the net.
Portsmouth's last league visit to Highbury ended in a 6-0 defeat back in August 1987 but it was never going to be that today.
The second half saw Arsenal more in control without creating too many chances. Parlour placed a first-time effort wide and Shaka Hislop's twice denied Bergkamp.
And towards the end Toure could have given Arsenal a win they never deserved - but the day will be a memorable one for Portsmouth.
Report From  , For full report and stats, click here.
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