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(adds Mourinho quotes) By Trevor Huggins LONDON, Oct 21 - Ukraine striker Andriy Shevchenko
ended his Chelsea goal drought with the opener in a 2-1 victory
over Portsmouth that moved the champions to the top of the
Premier League on Saturday. Shevchenko's first goal in 10 games ended Portsmouth's
resistance after 55 minutes. Midfielder Michael Ballack headed
the second two minutes later before Zimbabwean forward Benjamin
Mwaruwari scrambled one back for Portsmouth in the 69th minute. Victory sent Jose Mourinho's side three points clear at the
top -- at least until Manchester United play Liverpool in the
weekend's showcase match at Old Trafford on Sunday. In Saturday's other games, Everton beat 10-man Sheffield
United 2-0, Wigan Athletic notched their biggest ever win in the
Premier League by thrashing Manchester City 4-0 and the match
between the two bottom clubs, Charlton Athletic and Watford,
ended in a goalless draw. Aston Villa were playing Fulham in the late kickoff (1615
GMT). HUGE RELIEFF Shevchenko's goal, albeit deflected off Portsmouth defender
Sol Campbell, will be a huge relief to the Ukraine captain, who
cost Chelsea 30 million pounds ($56.45 million) with his move
from AC Milan in May. He was booked for his goal celebrations. After scoring against Liverpool in the Community Shield on
Aug. 13 and then against Middlesbrough in Chelsea's only league
defeat of the season 10 days later, Shevchenko had failed to
score in any of the nine Premier League or Champions League
matches he has played in since then. The strike, which punctured a superb display by Pompey
keeper David James, was his first at Stamford Bridge and will
have Mourinho hoping it will trigger a flurry of goals from a
player who was prolific for Milan in Serie A. "It was nice for him to score a goal and a very important
goal for us," Mourinho told reporters. "David James made great saves and I thought he would be
unlucky again, then finally Sheva's goal was there." "Hopefully he will get confidence." Germany captain Ballack soon headed the second after the
ball was nodded over by Ivory Coast skipper Didier Drogba. Mwaruwari kept Harry Redknapp's men in the game, bundling
the ball home after Portuguese keeper Hilario failed to collect
the ball in a goalmouth melee, but an equaliser eluded them. As in the midweek Champions League win over Barcelona,
Hilario was deputising for Petr Cech and Carlo Cudicini, who
were both knocked unconscious in last weekend's win at Reading. BEATTIE PENALTY Everton needed just over half an hour to secure their win.
Spanish midfielder Mikel Arteta opened the scoring and James
Beattie added a penalty after United defender Claude Davis was
dismissed for bringing down Andy Johnson in the box. Two goals inside the first four minutes set Wigan on their
way against Manchester City. Former England striker Emile Heskey fired home in the second
minute and City defender Richard Dunne scored an own goal soon
afterwards. Senegal forward Henri Camara and Ecuador midfielder
Luis Antonio Valencia added two more in the second half to give
Wigan their biggest win in the 46 Premier League matches they
have played since gaining promotion last season. (Additional reporting by Clare Lovell)
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