Three players were sent off and Bradford City manager Chris Kamara was banished from the dug out amid angry scenes at Fratton Park tonight.
Bradford players Nigel Pepper and George Kulcsar were dismissed along with Portsmouth's Andy Thomson in three separate incidents during a bad tempered clash.
Kamara was asked to leave the Bradford dug-out by referee Steve Bennett after he ran onto the pitch to protest against the referee's decision to show Pepper a red card for a clumsy tackle on Fitzroy Simpson.
Moments later Thomson was red-carded by the referee for a second bookable offence after a clumsy challenge on Brazilian striker Edinho.
In the last minute Kulcsar was also shown the red card by Bennett for a dreadful late challenge on Paul Hall.
There were also bookings for Portsmouth's Craig Foster and John Aloisi and Bradford's Peter Beagrie.
Alan McLoughlin had given Portsmouth the lead from the penalty spot in the 17th minute.
Australian international striker Aloisi was brought down by Darren Moore and Chris Wilder as he ran through on goal and McLoughlin sent Gary Walsh the wrong way.
But Edinho equalised for Bradford in the 40th minute with a superb header from 10 yards out following a flick-on by Rob Steiner.
Bradford had chances to win the game outright but found veteran goalkeeper Alan Knight, starting his first game since the opening day of the season, in their way.
Edinho was also guilty of a piece of selfishness that robbed Bradford of a certain winner in the 49th minute.
A shot from Steiner was heading over the line with Knight beaten but the Brazilian sprinted into an offside position and could not resist the temptation to head it into the net.
Referee Bennett spotted a linesman's flag and ruled out the goal for offside. Had Edinho allowed it to pass unhindered into the net the goal would probably have stood.