Jazz Younger scored the only goal of the game, as Pompey Women beat Cardiff to start the season with back-to-back wins.
The defender headed home late in the first half in Wales to break the home team’s stubborn resistance.
Jay Sadler made two changes from the side that thrashed Plymouth the previous week, with Sammy Quayle and Jade Bradley replacing Rosie McDonnell and Dani Lane.
And the Blues made a bright start, as Shannon Albuery collected Bradley’s pass and saw her volleyed effort saved by Laura O’Sullivan.
Cherelle Khassal – fresh from her four-goal haul against Argyle – then curled an effort against the woodwork.
Quayle was next to go close after rising highest in the box to meet a Bradley free-kick, but could only divert the ball past the post.
Khassal had a couple more half-chances before finally finding the net, only for an offside flag to halt the celebrations.
Cardiff then came close to scoring against the run of play on 35 minutes and it took a fine save from point-blank range for Hannah Haughton to deny Olivia Thompson.
Instead it was Pompey that broke the deadlock soon after, as YOUNGER used her head to convert a Bradley corner.
And they almost had another before the break, with O’Sullivan doing well to deny Ava Rowbotham from the edge of the box.
Half Time: Cardiff 0 Pompey 1
The chances did not flow quite so easily after the break, which suited the visitors more as they held onto their lead.
And McDonnell and Emma Jones were both brought on by Sadler to add some fresh energy to the ranks.
The former did find an opening on 72 minutes, providing a cross that was volleyed narrowly over by Rowbotham.
Jones was also soon involved in the action, although could not quite manage to keep her shot under the bar after being teed-up by Khassal.
Cardiff tried to fight back and their best chance came from an Ellis Sargent delivery that led to a defensive mix-up.
But Pompey survived that scare and comfortably held on to ensure they would take all three points back to the south coast.
Pompey: Haughton; Tonks, Younger, Gane (Gotch 74); Rowe; Bridge, Rowbotham, Bradley (c) Quayle (McDonnell 64); Khassal (Adaway 90+1), Albuery (E.Jones 64)