Portsmouth 0 Chelsea 4

Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari selected close to a full-strength starting line-up for his side's visit of Fratton Park this evening, says Goal.com.

The only notable tinkerings were the inclusion Serbian international Branislav Ivanovic in the place of Jose Bosingwa, Juliano Bellitti displaced John Obi Mikel, and Salomon Kalou was also fielded.

Ahead of tonight's clash Harry Redknapp noted that Arsenal loanee Armand Traore was in need of a rest from first team affairs after witnessing him "running on empty in the second half on Saturday [against Manchester City]," so the French wing-back is named among the seven options for the bench, together with England international Jermain Defoe.

This is a reverse fixture of the Premier League tie at the beginning of the season but Pompey still suffered a similar fate as they were outclassed once again by an efficient and emphatic Chelsea side.

Two goals in the first half virtually sealed the match as there are not too many teams who could net three times in 45 minutes, least of all Portsmouth, who are having problems with their positional sense and overall defending, as highlighted during their 6-0 mauling at the City of Manchester Stadium on Saturday.

Frank Lampard scored the first, a powerfully converted penalty kick, after Michael Ballack was fouled by Nadir Belhadj in the box.

Just before half-time Florent Malouda, who also scored Chelsea's third goal in their opening Champions League match against Girondins de Bordeaux last week, doubled the Blues' lead when he took advantage of a Kalou pass and sent a shot centred down the goal from the 12-yard line.

After the break it didn't take long for the visitors to inflict more misery on the south-coast club as Kalou provided another assist and Frank Lampard recorded his first brace of the season.

Kalou completed the rout fifteen minutes later when he sent a low left-footed drive from the centre of the penalty area.

Mineiro Signs

Chelsea have signed experienced Brazilian midfielder Mineiro as cover for the injured Michael Essien.
Mineiro, 33, has signed until the end of the season and was able to join the Chelsea playing staff immediately as he was a free agent after failing to agree terms for an extension of his contract at previous club Hertha Berlin.
Chelsea will be without Essien for most of the season as a result of the Ghana star's serious knee injury.
With Claude Makelele leaving the cloub, John Mikel Obi was the only specialist defensive midfielder available to manager Luiz Felipe Scolari.
Mineiro, whose full name is Carlos Luciano da Silva, was a member of the Brazil squad at the 2006 World Cup and had also attracted interest from Arsenal following his departure from Hertha.
Scolari said it would take the midfielder a couple of weeks to get his fitness up to scratch.
"He needs to play some games in the reserve team, and for me it is very good because I have one more player in this position.
"If not I have to put in (Juliano) Belletti or (Paulo) Ferreira, or (Michael) Ballack, and they are not for this position," Scolari said.
"I say to fans of Chelsea, if they remember (Claude) Makelele, Mineiro is the same. Good positionally, a very good marker. He is a man that works for the other players and he is also a good man outside of the pitch."
Mineiro spent 18 months with Hertha, scoring twice in 36 appearances, having previously played solely in his homeland with Sao Paulo, Sao Caetano and Ponte Preta.
While at Sao Paulo he scored the goal which beat Liverpool in the 2005 FIFA Club World Championship.