19 August 2009
BIRMINGHAM 1 (McFadden 92 Pen)
PORTSMOUTH 0
A poor game at St Andrews was saved from total mediocrity thanks to a controversial last minute penalty which saw Birmingham beat Portsmouth whose season is in desperate need of a boost from somewhere. The spot kick came when keeper David James collided with Sebastien Larsson as the pair chased a high ball and the linesman waved for a foul. Portsmouth were furious but James McFadden kept cool and sent James the wrong way from the spot.
Attendance : 19,922
Assist : Larsson (won pen)
BURNLEY 1 (Blake 19)
MANCHESTER UNITED 0
Prem new boys Burnley stunned Champions Man United with a narrow win at Turf Moor, their first home top flight game for 33 years. The winner came in the first half as a deep cross was headed to the edge of the area by Patrice Evra where Robbie Blake crashed a stunning first time volley past keeper Ben Foster at the near post. United were largely ineffective but missed a golden chance to level on the break after Blake had mistimed a tackle on Evra in the area. Surprisingly Michael Carrick took the penalty but home keeper Brian "The Beast" Jensen guessed right and made a decent save.
Attendance : 20,872
Assist : n/a
HULL 1 (Hunt 25 fk)
TOTTENHAM 5 (Defoe 10, Palacios 14, Defoe 45, Keane 78, Defoe 94)
A Jermaine Defoe hat trick sent Spurs to the top of the Premier League after a crushing win at Hull. The game was set within fifteen minutes as firstly Defoe collected a pass from Tom Huddlestone and having made room, arrowed a low shot inside the far post. The lead was doubled shortly afterwards when Robbie Keane found Wilson Palacios to fire in from a similar position. Hull pulled one back through Stephen Hunt whose free kick from way out on the right drifted past everyone and bounced inside the far post but that was as good as it got for the hosts as Defoe netted his second on half time with a clinical finish after being put clear from a touch by Keane and a lovely piece of skill to get past the last man. Keane grabbed the fourth himself with a superb near post header from Aaron Lennon's cross. The demolition was completed in stoppage time as Defoe played a one-two with Lennon on the edge of the box and thumped a scorching shot into the roof of the net.
Attendance : 24,735
Assists : Huddlestone, Keane, Geovanni (won fk), Keane, Lennon, Lennon
LIVERPOOL 4 (Torres 4, Johnson 45, Kuyt 78, N'Gog 94)
STOKE 0
Liverpool put their opening day disappointment behind them with a fine win at home to Stoke. They scored early thanks to Fernando Torres who swept the ball after Steven Gerrard's bobbled cut back. Glen Johnson doubled the lead with his first goal for the club, a close range overhead kick after Dirk Kuyt's header was saved and the result was never in doubt. A third followed when Gerrard showed excellent footwork to beat his man and cross for Kuyt to bundle in and in stoppage time, David N'Gog wrapped in up with a header against the underside of the bar from two yards after Johnson's cross was tipped onto the bar by the keeper.
Attendance : 44,318
Assists : Gerrard, n/a, Gerrard, n/a
18 August 2009
SUNDERLAND 1 (Bent 18)
CHELSEA 3 (Ballack 52, Lampard 61 Pen, Deco 70)
Chelsea came from behind to win for the second time in four days thanks to a stunning display at Sunderland. The home side took the lead when a shot from Kenwyne Jones was blocked but the rebound fell nicely for Darren Bent who controlled the ball before slotting in. Chelsea were the better side throughout and played some superb football, notably after the break although the equaliser came from a set piece as Frank Lampard's corner was nodded on at the near post by Branislav Ivanovic and swept in by Michael Ballack although Lee Cattermole on the line should probably have done better. The home defence was being run ragged and this was especially evident when Didier Drogba twisted and turned in the area before being flattened by George McCartney's clumsy challenge. Lampard drilled the penalty into the bottom corner and the result was no longer in doubt. The added a deserved third when a lovely passing moved ended with Jose Bosingwa finding Deco on the right edge of the area and he arrowed a brilliant shot that flew in off the far post.
Attendance : 41,179
Assists : n/a, Ivanovic, Drogba (won pen), Bosingwa
WIGAN 0
WOLVES 1 (Keogh 6)
New boys Wolves made a mockery of the opening days results with a fine win at Wigan who themselves won at Villa at the weekend. The only goal came early as a free kick from Nenad Milijas was glanced in off the post by Andy Keogh.
Attendance : 16,661
Assist : Milijas (fk)
Gary Dowden - Joint Admin Yahoo Groups Premier-L list
http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/premier-l/
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