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Braga beat Portsmouth 3-0 in Portugal in the opening match of UEFA Cup Group E.

Goals from Uruguayan Luis Aguiar, Colombian Wason Renteria and Brazilian Alan broke Portsmouth's resistance.

The opener arrived on eight minutes, a superbly struck free-kick from 30 yards by the ever-dangerous Aguiar which dipped under the crossbar and left David James with no chance.

A second goal less than two minutes into the second period negated Harry Redknapp's half-time team talk, Renteria turning to shoot into the far bottom corner after excellent build-up play.

Papa Bouba Diop though he had pulled a goal back as he challenged in the six-yard box - the ball actually came off Renteria - but referee Darko Ceferin blew for an innocuous foul.

Alan finished the job from close range (pictured) with three minutes left.

Portsmouth came to Portugal with the intention of doing a job, but their task was made all the more difficult by the opening strike from playmaker Aguiar following Diop's foul on Matheus.

Braga, like many Portuguese sides, are content deny their opponents possession for long periods, and this match was no exception.

Pompey's first meaningful attack on goal arrived via route one tactics, a James goal-kick flicked on by Crouch for Defoe to race between two defenders and through.

Athletic goalkeeper Eduardo stood tall as he advanced and blocked the diminutive striker's shot, while a minute later he denied the England man again, this time from a fierce shot hit from an angle on the right inside the penalty area.

Redknapp threw on attack-minded Algerian winger Nadir Belhadj for defender Hreidarsson but all his plans were pulled apart when a quick break saw Renteria earn space in the box and fire across England goalkeeper James.

Things turned nasty either side of Diop's disallowed effort, with Belhadj often involved.

Keeper Eduardo, who was the player supposedly fouled by Diop, later sought to waste time with a cynical dive to the ground holding his face when for some seconds, before his side cleared the danger in his box, he was clearly fine.

Kanu arrived to add further height to the Pompey attack but was unable to influence proceedings; unlike Aguiar, who took the ball through the away defence with a sublime touch before firing wide of the near post.

Defoe did well to control a flick-on and shoot into the side-netting before the final nail in his side's coffin.

Substitute Paulo Cesar made a run down the right side of the box and centred low, where the retreating Sean Davis deflected against his own post - and Alan scored under the crossbar.

Heerenveen 1-3 Milan

Competition favourites Milan brushed aside Heerenveen 3-1 in the Netherlands.

Carlo Ancelotti took a full-strength squad and his side soon stamped their authority on the game with two goals in the first 23 minutes.

An own-goal from defender Calvin Jong-A-Pin, who diverted in Kaka's cross, and a rare appearance on the scoresheet by midfielder Gennaro Gattuso put Milan in control.

Filippo Inzaghi made it 3-0 after 69 minutes.

Jonathan Symcox / Reuters