First win for Bournemouth, United held

Published August 23, 2015
MANCHESTER: Newcastle United goalkeeper Tim Krul blocks a shot by Manchester United’s Javier Hernandez during their English Premier League match at Old Trafford on Saturday.—AP
MANCHESTER: Newcastle United goalkeeper Tim Krul blocks a shot by Manchester United’s Javier Hernandez during their English Premier League match at Old Trafford on Saturday.—AP

LONDON: Callum Wilson’s hat-trick gave promoted Bournemouth their first-ever Premier League victory with a thrilling 4-3 win over West Ham United at Upton Park on Saturday.

The south coast side, who lost their two opening games 1-0, led 2-0 at halftime thanks to a double from Wilson but West Ham levelled through Mark Noble (penalty) and Cheikhou Kouyate.

Marc Pugh nudged Bournemouth ahead again before Wilson converted a penalty, after West Ham defender Carl Jenkinson was dismissed, to complete his treble before Modibo Maiga pulled a goal back to set up a tense finish.

Manchester United’s 100 percent start ended when they were held to a goalless draw against a battling Newcastle United at Old Trafford.

The hosts, who gave Bastian Schweinsteiger a full debut, dominated the early stages and Wayne Rooney saw a goal ruled out for a tight offside, but Newcastle went close when Aleksandar Mitrovic headed against the bar.

Louis van Gaal’s side laid siege to the Newcastle goal in the second half, Tim Krul saving from substitute Javier Hernandez and Chris Smalling heading against the post, but Newcastle debutant Florian Thauvin was inches away from toeing in a late winner at the other end.

“We can be satisfied with the performance, but not with the result. We were unlucky,” said United manager Van Gaal, whose side have scored only two goals in their three league games to date.

LONDON: Bournemouth’s Callum Wilson shoots to score during the English Premier League match against West Ham United at Upton Park on Saturday.—AFP
LONDON: Bournemouth’s Callum Wilson shoots to score during the English Premier League match against West Ham United at Upton Park on Saturday.—AFP

“We did not make the right choices in the final third, but we played fantastic as a team. I like these kind of games when we work like this, but not this result.”

The point took United top of the table alongside Leicester City who saw their perfect start under new manager Claudio Ranieri end with a 1-1 draw at home to winless Tottenham Hotspur.

In a lively final 10 minutes, Dele Alli put Tottenham in front but it was quickly cancelled out by Riyad Mahrez.

Tottenham striker Harry Kane, the breakthrough star of last season, is without a goal three games into the new campaign and his side have two points from a possible nine.

Elsewhere, Stoke City drew 1-1 with Norwich City, Sunderland secured their first point of the season with a 1-1 draw against Swansea City who moved to five points from three games and new signing Bakary Sako snatched a late winner as Crystal Palace beat Aston Villa 2-1.

Xherdan Shaqiri had an assist on his Stoke debut with the club’s record signing setting up Mame Biram Diouf for their opener in the 11th minute before Russell Martin equalised for the hosts in the 28th.

Bafetimbi Gomis scored in the final moments of the first half with an angled shot to the bottom left corner to put the Swansea ahead at the Stadium of Light before Jermain Defoe found the same corner to equalise in the 62nd.

Sako joined Palace from Wolverhampton Wanderers this month and was given his first start by Alan Pardew and scored with a left-footed shot from just inside the area in the 88th minute to give his new team the win which moved them to six points from three games.

Scott Dann had given Palace the lead in the 71st minute only for Villa to equalise six minutes later through an own goal by Pape Ndiaye Souare.

Published in Dawn, August 23rd, 2015

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