Portsmouth 1-1 Manchester United: Half-time match report

Avram Grant's reign at Chelsea ended with defeat on penalties to Manchester United and his first game in charge of Portsmouth was level at half-time after two spot-kicks.

Grant, who has taken over from Paul Hart and will be rubber-stamped as manager next week when paperwork is completed, could not have asked for a tougher opening game than against the Barclays Premier League champions and saw Wayne Rooney give United the lead after he was fouled in the area.

Sir Alex Ferguson served the first half of his two-match touchline ban for criticising referee Alan Wiley - and he may question why Mike Dean gave Kevin-Prince Boateng the chance to level, although replays showed Nemanja Vidic may have pulled Frederic Piquionne's shirt.

Van der Sar was thought to have taken a knock to his knee last Saturday, meaning United had used three different goalkeepers in a week.

Ferguson, who sat next to chief executive David Gill in the directors' box, saw his side enjoy plenty of possession early on and press when the hosts were on the ball.

Paul Scholes had the first effort of the match, firing over when Ryan Giggs rolled a corner to the edge of the penalty area, where his team-mate was left unmarked.

Pompey threatened within a minute and Kuszczak was required to block bravely when a ball was lobbed over the top of United's defence and found Aruna Dindane.

Encouraged by this opening, Dindane also fired wide from long distance and headed wide when unmarked from Jamie O'Hara's cross.

O'Hara himself had an effort tipped over after Piquionne nodded in his direction on the edge of the area.

Despite the Pompey attacks, United were ahead in the 25th minute through Rooney.

Penalties were Grant's downfall in his final match as Chelsea manager, losing to United in the Champions League final, and it was a spot-kick that took the wind out of the sails for his Pompey team.

Antonio Valencia burst forward and exchanged passes with Rooney, and when the winger pulled the ball back for his team-mate in the penalty area, the England forward waited for a clumsy challenge from Michael Brown.

Referee Mike Dean pointed to the spot immediately and Rooney tucked away the penalty.

Pompey were level, however, on the half-hour mark, although why Dean awarded it was open to debate. Kuszczak climbed above Piquionne, who appeared to have his shirt pulled by Nemanja Vidic.

With United in shock, Boateng smashed in the penalty after missing against Stoke last time out.

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