Portsmouth 3 Blackburn 0: Kanu scored twice and missed a penalty on his Portsmouth debut as Harry Redknapp's side got off to a dream start against nine-man Blackburn.

The former Arsenal striker opened his account within two minutes of coming on for Svetoslav Todorov, who had opened the scoring with a tap-in after 26 minutes.

Kanu leapt above Andy Todd to score with a far-post header after 62 minutes and sealed the win with seven minutes left with a similar effort.

A hat-trick went begging when he saw his injury-time penalty saved by Brad Friedel, although justice was at least done as Todd had been wrongly sent off by referee Alan Wiley.

Wiley felt Todd had brought down Kanu but the Rovers defender had got a faint touch on the ball to send it out for what should have been a corner.

The visitors therefore ended the game with nine men following Lucas Neill's earlier dismissal for two bookable offences.

Redknapp gave starts to three of his five summer signings with goalkeeper David James, Sol Campbell and Glen Johnson all lining up in defence.

Blackburn were without Pompey target Ryan Nelsen, Zurab Khizanishvili and Sergio Peter through injuries and Tugay through suspension, but their new strikers Benni McCarthy and Jason Roberts were paired up front.

Portsmouth were first to have a strike at goal when Matt Taylor's free-kick zipped just wide from 25 yards in the second minute after a foul by Robbie Savage.

Then a good through-ball by Johnson put Benjani Mwaruwari - declared fit after a thigh strain - away on the right but the muscular Zimbabwean was crowded out as he penetrated the penalty area.

James made his first Pompey save, tipping Savage's free-kick over the crossbar. The resulting corner proved a painful experience for the Welsh midfielder. Pompey cleared it and he came down in a heap following a clash of heads with Benjani, needing extensive treatment from the physio before going off.

Savage was soon back in the action, to the derision of the home crowd, which grew in volume when he went down again to win a free-kick - and a booking for Pompey's Taylor.

Morten Gamst Pedersen's pass was just too long for McCarthy to chase into the area as Rovers began to look threatening in the 14th minute but within seconds Benjani burst through at the other end and fired a powerful effort just off target.

Pompey had an amazing escape in the 21st minute when McCarthy reached an over-hit pass on the dead-ball line and clipped it back over James' head into the centre of the six-yard box.

In a hectic scramble that followed, Pompey skipper Stefanovic finished face down with the ball under his stomach - and won a free-kick after being caught by a stray boot.

However in the 25th minute Pompey went ahead. A right-wing cross from Benjani was met by Todorov, who scored with his left foot from five yards.

In the second half Blackburn pushed forward in search of an equaliser and Roberts beat two men on the left-hand side of the box before firing in a low right-footed shot which James saved comfortably at the base of the post.

Redknapp then brought on Kanu for Todorov and it paid instant dividends with the former Arsenal striker scoring within two minutes.

O'Neil was sent clear down the right wing and picked out Kanu at the back post who climbed over Andy Todd to head down into the bottom corner.

And just two minutes later the game was surely ended as a contest when Neill, who had already been booked, received a second yellow card for a foul on Kanu.

His manager was furious with the decision but Rovers were down to 10 men and destined for defeat.

Blackburn's woes were summed up by Emerton's attempted volley from the right-hand side of the box which was screwed out of play 10 yards up the opposite touchline.

And Kanu sealed victory with his second goal of the game on 83 minutes, again climbing above his marker in the box to send a header past Friedel into the far corner.