Thomas Hitzlsperger thumped a late winner to wrap up Aston Villa's first away win in seven matches - just as he did when they last won on foreign turf at Bolton in November.

Pompey battled back after Arjan de Zeeuw's own goal in the 17th minute to equalise with an Aiyegbeni Yakubu penalty - his 14th goal of the season - six minutes later.

Villa hit the bar through Juan Pablo Angel's header before substitute Hitzlsperger's 25-yard blast left keeper Kostas Chalkias rooted to his line.

Portsmouth, playing their last home match for five weeks, had Steve Stone back in midfield after injury to face Aston Villa and he lined up alongside £1million Greek signing Giannis Skopelitis on his first start since moving from Egaleo.

Villa lost striker Carlton Cole to a hip injury sustained while playing for England Under-21s in midweek but gave a start to Eric Djemba-Djemba, who rejected Pompey for Villa in the January transfer window.

Lee Hendrie, back in the Villa side after illness, drifted an early free-kick wide before Yakubu chased through-balls without success as Pompey began to feel their way forward.

Stone came inside and set up Diomansy Kamara but he dragged his low effort wide of Thomas Sorensen's left-hand post.

Patrik Berger threatened soon afterwards when he controlled Dejan Stefanovic's pass and put an instant through-ball just a yard too far ahead of Yakubu at the edge of the area.

Hendrie and Luke Moore combined in a one-two which saw the youngster feed the ball in from the left to the near post where Angel was lurking.

Although de Zeeuw beat the striker to it he only succeeded in turning the ball past Chalkias.

It was a big blow for Pompey and it did not look to be their day when Richard Hughes was booked soon afterwards - even though he appeared to get the ball rather than Nolberto Solano, who collapsed in a heap - while Berger crashed a 25-yard shot against a post.

Referee Dermot Gallagher refused a decent shout for a penalty when Kamara tumbled over a challenge by Gareth Barry but virtually had no option but to point to the spot when Stone went down under a tackle by the same player in the 22nd minute. Yakubu coolly converted for his 14th goal of the season.

Pompey were inspired after that and Berger drove a blistering angled effort over the crossbar, Kamara glanced a header wide from a corner, then Berger let fly again - with Sorensen happy to smother a low effort.

Solano's foul on Stone was lucky not to be penalised with a yellow card as well as a free-kick, from which Berger tried to pick out the England midfielder but watched the ball sail over the heads of both he and Olof Mellberg at the far post.

Stefanovic was booked for a hard challenge on Moore early in the second half and there was an alarming lack of movement from keeper Chalkias as Barry swung the ball over from the free-kick, which was headed behind.

The goalkeeper also looked hesitant from the subsequent corner but Angel could not get his header on target and then Hendrie limped off painfully in the 53rd minute to be replaced by Hitzlsperger.

Moore and Angel had the home defence at full stretch and were nibbling for half-chances but Liam Ridgewell was booked for a foul after 59 minutes on Yakubu.

A foul by Solano on Stone presented Berger with another free-kick but that was hacked away and when it fell to Skopelitis his first touch let him down.

Berger's attempt to set up Kamara with a perfect pass into the box failed by mere inches and when Solano tried something similar at the other end in the 63rd minute Angel latched onto it behind Stefanovic but his shot on the run was well held by Chalkias.

Cisse stepped in to stop Barry with a fine tackle while Kamara twisted and turned to get into the Villa area before blasting over.

Lomana Lua Lua replaced Yakubu after 66 minutes as the Nigerian had disappointed in the second half.

Portsmouth had an escape when Matt Taylor's clumsy tackle was easily avoided by Solano over on the right from where the Peruvian delivered a superb cross which Angel crashed against the bar with a stunning header.

Villa went ahead when Hitzlsperger belted a 25-yarder past Chalkias after running onto Angel's square pass in the 73rd minute. The keeper did not even move as the ball flashed by him for the winner.

Kamara missed a late opportunity from Berger's pass and there were optimistic shouts for another penalty when LuaLua's cross came over in the closing minutes.

But by then Villa had done enough to just about deserve their success and a return to the top 10 in the table.

Teams:

Portsmouth: Chalkias, Cisse, Stefanovic, De Zeeuw, Taylor, Stone, Skopelitis (Fuller 77), Hughes, Berger, Yakubu (LuaLua 66), Kamara.

Subs Not Used: Ashdown, Primus, Mezague.

Booked: Hughes, Stefanovic.

Goals: Yakubu 24 pen.

Aston Villa: Sorensen, De la Cruz, Mellberg, Ridgewell, Samuel, Solano (Davis 75), Hendrie (Hitzlsperger 53), Djemba-Djemba, Barry, Angel, Luke Moore (Berson 90).

Subs Not Used: Laursen, Postma.

Booked: Ridgewell.

Goals: De Zeeuw 17 og, Hitzlsperger 73.

Att: 20,160

Ref: D Gallagher (Oxfordshire).