Jose Mourinho made a
winning return as Chelsea manager with a 2-0
success at home to promoted Hull City in the
club’s opening Premier League game on
Sunday. Back at Stamford Bridge after spells at Inter
Milan and Real Madrid, Mourinho saw his side
prevail through early goals from Oscar and
Frank Lampard on a warm, sunny afternoon in
west London. The Europa League champions looked on
course for a handsome win after scoring twice
in the first 25 minutes, but they took their foot
off the pedal thereafter, perhaps with a view to
Wednesday’s visit of Aston Villa. Mourinho picked Fernando Torres ahead of
Romelu Lukaku up front, with captain John
Terry selected at centre-back and returning
loanee Kevin De Bruyne preferred to Juan Mata
in attacking midfield. Goalkeeper Allan McGregor was among five
debutants for Hull and he was quickly involved,
clumsily clattering Torres but then plunging to
his right to repel Lampard’s subsequent
penalty in the sixth minute. It was a temporary reprieve, however, as seven
minutes later Oscar put Chelsea ahead by
poking the ball beneath McGregor from De
Bruyne’s pass. Lampard got on the score-sheet in the 25th
minute with a dipping 30-yard free-kick that
deceived McGregor, who had to save from
Branislav Ivanovic in first-half injury time. That opportunity yielded the clearest
demonstration of goal-line technology of the
opening weekend, with Hawk-Eye replays
proving that McGregor had clawed Ivanovic’s
header away from right on the line. Hull manager Steve Bruce introduced Jake
Livermore and on-loan Tom Huddlestone —
both of whom arrived from Tottenham Hotspur
this week — in the second half, while Mourinho
sent on new signing Andre Schuerrle. Hull centre-back Curtis Davies headed straight
at Petr Cech and Schuerrle chipped narrowly
over the bar, before Mourinho handed a league
debut to another new signing, Dutch midfielder
Marco van Ginkel. Earlier, new Tottenham signing Roberto
Soldado proved there is life without Gareth
Bale by giving his side a 1-0 win at promoted
Crystal Palace. Bale, strongly linked with a move to Real
Madrid, was absent with a foot injury, but a
50th-minute penalty from £26 million ($40.4
million, 30.4 million euros) club record signing
Soldado meant Spurs did not miss him. Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas handed
league debuts to Soldado, Paulinho and Nacer
Chadli at Selhurst Park, while Etienne Capoue
made his Spurs bow as a second-half
substitute. The decisive goal arrived five minutes into the
second half, with Soldado adroitly sending
goalkeeper Julian Speroni the wrong way from
12 yards after Dean Moxey blocked Aaron
Lennon’s cross with a flailing hand. “It’s very important to open with a win. (Crystal
Palace manager) Ian Holloway really puts his
team together very well. They were very narrow
and there was some unpredictability,” said
Villas-Boas. “We should have put the game to bed, but I’m
generally very pleased to come to a difficult
ground and get the three points.” Defending champions Manchester United
moved to the top of the fledgling standings
with a 4-1 win at Swansea City on Saturday’s
opening day, in what was David Moyes’ first
league game as manager. Meanwhile, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger
apologised to the club’s fans after a 3-1 loss at
home to Villa. Manchester City, champions in 2012, begin
their campaign at home to Newcastle United on
Monday.
winning return as Chelsea manager with a 2-0
success at home to promoted Hull City in the
club’s opening Premier League game on
Sunday. Back at Stamford Bridge after spells at Inter
Milan and Real Madrid, Mourinho saw his side
prevail through early goals from Oscar and
Frank Lampard on a warm, sunny afternoon in
west London. The Europa League champions looked on
course for a handsome win after scoring twice
in the first 25 minutes, but they took their foot
off the pedal thereafter, perhaps with a view to
Wednesday’s visit of Aston Villa. Mourinho picked Fernando Torres ahead of
Romelu Lukaku up front, with captain John
Terry selected at centre-back and returning
loanee Kevin De Bruyne preferred to Juan Mata
in attacking midfield. Goalkeeper Allan McGregor was among five
debutants for Hull and he was quickly involved,
clumsily clattering Torres but then plunging to
his right to repel Lampard’s subsequent
penalty in the sixth minute. It was a temporary reprieve, however, as seven
minutes later Oscar put Chelsea ahead by
poking the ball beneath McGregor from De
Bruyne’s pass. Lampard got on the score-sheet in the 25th
minute with a dipping 30-yard free-kick that
deceived McGregor, who had to save from
Branislav Ivanovic in first-half injury time. That opportunity yielded the clearest
demonstration of goal-line technology of the
opening weekend, with Hawk-Eye replays
proving that McGregor had clawed Ivanovic’s
header away from right on the line. Hull manager Steve Bruce introduced Jake
Livermore and on-loan Tom Huddlestone —
both of whom arrived from Tottenham Hotspur
this week — in the second half, while Mourinho
sent on new signing Andre Schuerrle. Hull centre-back Curtis Davies headed straight
at Petr Cech and Schuerrle chipped narrowly
over the bar, before Mourinho handed a league
debut to another new signing, Dutch midfielder
Marco van Ginkel. Earlier, new Tottenham signing Roberto
Soldado proved there is life without Gareth
Bale by giving his side a 1-0 win at promoted
Crystal Palace. Bale, strongly linked with a move to Real
Madrid, was absent with a foot injury, but a
50th-minute penalty from £26 million ($40.4
million, 30.4 million euros) club record signing
Soldado meant Spurs did not miss him. Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas handed
league debuts to Soldado, Paulinho and Nacer
Chadli at Selhurst Park, while Etienne Capoue
made his Spurs bow as a second-half
substitute. The decisive goal arrived five minutes into the
second half, with Soldado adroitly sending
goalkeeper Julian Speroni the wrong way from
12 yards after Dean Moxey blocked Aaron
Lennon’s cross with a flailing hand. “It’s very important to open with a win. (Crystal
Palace manager) Ian Holloway really puts his
team together very well. They were very narrow
and there was some unpredictability,” said
Villas-Boas. “We should have put the game to bed, but I’m
generally very pleased to come to a difficult
ground and get the three points.” Defending champions Manchester United
moved to the top of the fledgling standings
with a 4-1 win at Swansea City on Saturday’s
opening day, in what was David Moyes’ first
league game as manager. Meanwhile, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger
apologised to the club’s fans after a 3-1 loss at
home to Villa. Manchester City, champions in 2012, begin
their campaign at home to Newcastle United on
Monday.
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