Lassana Diarra and Jermain Defoe goals ensured a winning start to Pompey's Uefa Cup campaign.
History made at Fratton Park
Portsmouth made their first European game a winning one with a comprehensive 2-0 victory over Guimaraes in the Uefa Cup first round first leg at Fratton Park.
Lassana Diarra put the home side in front on 39 minutes after breaking in from the left flank and playing a one-two with Jermain Defoe before hitting a first-time finish past keeper Correa Nilson.
But Guimaraes could have been level two minutes later after winning a penalty from a Sol Campbell arm over Felix Roberto, but Joao Fajardo's spot-kick effort hit the bar and went over.
In the second period, Defoe won a penalty but had his effort saved by Nilson before he got the crucial second goal, slotting home a great cross from Nadir Belhadj on 60 minutes.
Guimaraes now have it all to do when the tie resumes in Portugal in a fortnight's time, with a place in the group stages of the competition up for grabs.
Scares
The visitors survived a couple of scares in the opening 25 minutes with Defoe forcing a fine tip-over save from Nilson and John Utaka struck a post when the keeper flapped at a corner following another stop from Defoe.
But they are clearly no mugs at the European game. They would have been in the UEFA Champions League this season but for a dubiously disallowed goal in a qualifier against Basel last month.
And they showed their credentials with a spell of lively counter-attacking that kept Pompey's defenders on their toes, when Sylvain Distin and birthday boy Campbell both had to make vital interceptions.
But when Fajardo was caught in possession by Armand Traore in the 32nd minute, Peter Crouch was quick to link up with the Frenchman on the left and slipped a pass inside for Defoe to blaze just off target from 18 yards.
What Pompey needed, though, was a little more direct service for their front two but Traore and Utaka were struggling to find space on the flanks to make crosses. When Utaka finally did in the 35th minute, Nilson flew out of his goal to make a safe catch.
The goalkeeper excelled again, beating away Defoe's shot from 10 yards after a good pass by Utaka and then getting the benefit of a handball decision against the striker, but could do nothing about it when Diarra shot Pompey ahead at last in the 39th minute.
The all-action midfielder came in off the left to play a one-two with Defoe, who tried to take possession himself and head for goal but saw the ball deflect back to his team-mate to bury a close-range drive.
Penalty
Fratton Park went mad - but within three minutes the fans were silenced when referee Kurt Kircher ruled Campbell had pulled down Roberto in a wrestling match for Yves Desmarets' free-kick.
The cheer was just as loud as that for Pompey's goal, though, when Fajardo clipped the top of the crossbar with the penalty, not even requiring David James to move.
Pompey clearly needed more than a narrow advantage for the second leg in Portugal in two weeks and should have doubled it three minutes after the break when handed a penalty of their own after Defoe was carelessly tripped by centre-back Joao Moreno.
But the little striker saw heroic Nilson plunge to his left to splendidly keep out his deliberately-aimed spot-kick.
It probably will not matter because within 12 minutes - after big Roberto spurned a good chance at the other end - Defoe had yet another goal after his double against Middlesbrough on Saturday.
It was beautifully crafted down the left once more, new boy Belhadj taking a pass off the persistent Traore and providing the perfect cross for the former Tottenham goal-poacher to punish poor marking with a sweet half-volley.
Guimaraes pressed for a crucial away goal, with Joao Alves' skimming low free-kick almost finding Agular Danilo skidding in at the far post, but he just failed to connect in front of an empty net.
And Traore could have made it 3-0 when set up by Crouch but once more the keeper made a great save.
