LAGOS - European champions Manchester United defeated fellow English Premier League club Portsmouth 2-1 in a pre-season friendly played at the Abuja National Stadium in Lagos on Sunday.

LAGOS - European champions Manchester United defeated fellow English Premier League club Portsmouth 2-1 in a pre-season friendly played at the Abuja National Stadium in Lagos on Sunday.

United went ahead after 50 minutes through Chris Eagles before Carlos Tevez doubled their advantage on 63 minutes when he struck home from the edge of the box.

Jermaine Defoe pulled a goal back for FA Cup winners Pompey in the 90th minute with a brilliant individual goal.

Both teams were playing for the very first time in Nigeria, which boasts a huge fan base for the English Premiership. However, this was not reflected in the attendance as the 60 000-capacity Abuja Stadium was not even half full.

United, without Wayne Rooney who was nursing a "dead" leg picked up in Saturday's win over Kaizer Chiefs in South Africa, controlled the early exchanges.

They should have gone ahead after just five minutes from the penalty spot after Glenn Johnson fouled Frazier Campbell.

Tevez tucked away the spot kick but the referee overruled it after an encroachment before the Argentine crashed his second effort against the woodwork.

Campbell then missed a sitter on 24 minutes when he went through the Portsmouth defence but shot wide with only goalkeeper David James to beat. He should have made amends in the 37th minute, when he again went through only to be denied by James.

Portsmouth, who beat Nigerian champions Kano Pillars 5-0 on Saturday in their first game, will fly out to South Africa to continue their pre-season preparations while United head home. - Sapa-AFP