- English Barclays Premier League
- 19 August 2012, 1:30pm
- DW Stadium
- Attendance: 19,738
Wigan![]() | v | Chelsea![]() |
| 0 | 2
|
live commentary
FULL-TIME: CHELSEA WIN! Easy peasy. Chelsea put this game well and truly to bed after just seven minutes thanks to goals from Ivanovic and Lampard. That lead never looked in doubt after Wigan continue to waste chance after chance. Thanks for joining Orange's live commentary. Stay tuned for the full-match report.
90 mins: Three minutes of stoppage time are added on as Gomez's right-footed effort swings away from the left post.
88 mins: Torres wins a free-kick an inch away from the right edge of the area. Luiz connects with the resulting cross in but Al-Habsi manages to pluck the ball out of the air.
85 mins: Wigan waste two more great chances to set-up a grandstand finish as Kone sends a header wide from five yards and Gomez blast an acrobatic volley over. The shots off target tally will not make happy reading for the Wigan fans after the game.
82 mins: Another change to tell you about. Meireles is coming on for the marvellous Mata.
79 mins: Wigan get the go ahead to make another change and it's Watson replacing McArthur in midfield.
76 mins: Wigan continue to knock on the door but Chelsea are back in numbers, still looking rock-solid and dealing with the threats coming from both wings.
73 mins: Lampard concedes a foul to give Wigan a free-kick from 25 yards out. It's left to Gomez to pull the trigger but Cech does well to spill the fizzing strike.
70 mins: Kone comes on to make his debut for Wigan after replacing Di Santo. He then watches the unmarked Gomez fail to find the target with a header from close range moments later.
68 mins: Oscar nearly gets in on the act but his low strike is a whisker away from finding the bottom left corner. Al-Habsi was absolutely rooted to the spot there.
65 mins: Chelsea make their first sub with the excellent Hazard coming off for fellow new signing Oscar. The Belgian has played an instrumental part in this game by winning the penalty and assisting in the opening goal. Not a bad debut that.
63 mins: The game suddenly explodes back into life as Ramis slightly redeems himself by clearing Torres' toe-poker off the line. Then at the other end, Terry is forced to clear behind from deep inside his own area after a promising Wigan counter attack.
61 mins: Another chance for Wigan. Another shot off target. This time Moses watches on in despair as he watches his bending shot curl beyond the top right corner.
59 mins: Di Santo tries to single-handedly haul Wigan back into the game but can only find the side-netting with a tame drive from a narrow angle.
56 mins: McArthur finally finds his way into the book for Wigan after a series of let-offs with a late challenge on Lampard.
54 mins: Moses again makes easy work of bypassing his marker but the cross is another poor one as he finds the gloves of Cech once more.
51 mins: Cole embarks on one of his trademark runs into the box but he skies his half-volley way wide of the right post.
48 mins: Wigan make an early change with Maloney coming off for Gomez. The former Celtic man appears to be struggling with his thigh.
45 mins: Both sides remain unchanged as Chelsea restart us. Wigan are quick to launch their first attack of the half but the Blues defence are alert to the danger from left side.
HALF-TIME: The ref blows the half-time whistle, something Wigan have been desperate for ever since the seventh minute. Chelsea made the perfect start with goals from Ivanovic and Lampard from the spot. Hazard and Mata have shone in the Chelsea midfield too. Can Wigan stage a comeback in the second half? Join me in fifteen minutes to find out.
45+1 mins:Another opportunity for Wigan falls to Maloney from a central free-kick. His effort prompts ironic cheers from the Chelsea fans as Cech catches with ease.
45 mins: Wigan look to half the deficit before half-time but Di Santo can't turn it in from a tight angle after racing clear. Two minutes are added on.
42 mins: Moses shows his class by expertly controlling the ball with his chest and bombing past Cole near the right corner flag. Cech is able to spectate still as the Wigan forward's cross sails way over him.
39 mins: Ooh Ramis is a lucky boy after his awful pass out from defence goes straight to Torres. The quiet striker plays an equally dreadful pass though to let the centre-back off the hook.
37 mins: Hazard has definitely been targeted for some special treatment again today. He's caught by the flailing arm of McArthur who somehow evades a yellow too.
34 mins: One player who is in the book however is Luiz, a.k.a Sideshow Bob, after he mis-times a tackle. The game is getting a bit nitty-gritty
32 mins: McCarthy is lucky to escape a caution after two rash tackles in quick succession. He pretty much sums up all of Wigan's frustration so far.
29 mins: As we approach the half-hour mark, Chelsea are still in full control. They look quicker, sharper and more organised than their opponents and are well worth their two goal lead.
Christian, Southampton -"Torres really needs a goal here. Chelsea are tearing Wigan apart. Such a big season for Torres. If he doesnt get the goals then it's time to cut the losses & get rid. Chelsea to do a Swanselona, 5-0"
26 mins: Boos and whistles from the home fans as they believe Cech clutches the loose ball outside of his area. Whilst Wigan are caught up in that decision not been given, Torres looks to pounce on the counter but runs into too much trouble, allowing Al-Habsi to gather.
25 mins: Chelsea immediately attack with Mata who shuffles across to the left touchline. He forces Al-Habsi to race off his line to collect after his low, teasing cross nearly picks his compatriot Torres
22 mins: Wigan have a dangerous free-kick on the right wing but the chance soon fizzles out as Torres does a Drogba by getting back and heading the ball clear.
19 mins: Boyce finds the head of Di Santo with a fine cross from the right side, but the former Chelsea man can't keep it down inside the six-yard box. Wigan are finally beginning to wake up now.
17 mins: Appeals for another Chelsea penalty as Torres' path is blocked off by Alcaraz on the left edge of the box. Ref Mike Jone is having none of it, signalling that the challenge is a legitimate shoulder barge.
13 mins: Chelsea target Moses attempts to make something happen for the hosts but his outswinging cross from the left is all too easy for Cech.
Craig, Cheltenham -"torres to get a brace and hazard to open his blues account A consolation goal from the poor mans cafu, emerson boyce"
10 mins: Much to Wigan's relief, Chelsea have calmed down a little after Lampard's spot-kick. Captain Caldwell is the book though after catching Hazard with a tackle that can only be described as a reducer.
5 MINS: PENALTY TO CHELSEA! It's not the best of Premier League debuts for Ramis who clumsily brings down the already excellent Hazard down the right of the area. The ref rightly points to the spot without hesitation. Lampard to take it...
2 MINS: CHELSEA TAKE THE LEAD! What a start from the Blues! Di Santo loses the ball on the edge of the Blues area and Chelsea launch a sublime counter which ends with Hazard superbly turning his man in the centre circle and threading the ball through to IVANOVIC. The Chelsea full-back is beyond Figueroa who is caught napping and smashes the ball past Al-Habsi with real conviction. A fantastic breakway goal!
0 mins: We're underway as the rain continues to drizzle down on the DW Stadium. Wigan, playing from right to left in their blue and white home strip, get us started. Chelsea are in black and yellow.
Hello and welcome to Orange's live commmentary on Wigan's opening Premier League clash against the FA Cup and Champions League winners Chelsea. Kick-off is at 1330.
Wigan boss Roberto Martinez is able to give defender Ivan Ramis his debut after the Spaniard passed a late fitness test. Fellow new signing Arouna Kone, signed from Levante, will have to wait though after only been named on the bench. Victor Moses starts despite heavy and continued interest from today's opponents.
Also amongst the substitutes for the Latics is striker Mauro Boselli, who will be looking to finally adapt to the Premier League after he was shipped out on loan to Italy and Argentina.
Roberto Di Matteo makes one change from the side that lost to Man City in the Community Shield last weekend. Midfielder Ramires hasn't travelled so in comes Ryan Bertrand instead. Branislav Ivanovic is allowed to play despite his red card in the aforementioned game due to it being classed as a non-competitive fixture.
Will Chelsea get their Premier League campaign off to a winning start or can Wigan provide another shock on the opening weekend? Let Orange commentator Mark Scott know your predictions via the box on the right of your screen.
Wigan: Al-Habsi, Caldwell, Alcaraz, Ramis, Boyce, Figueroa, McArthur, McCartney, Moses, Maloney, Di Santo. Subs: Pollitt, Kone, Jones, Crusat, Watson, Gomez, Boselli.
Chelsea: Cech, Ivanovic, David Luiz, Terry, Cole, Lampard, Mikel, Hazard, Mata, Bertrand, Torres. Subs: Turnbull, Cahill, Ferreira, Essien, Meireles, Oscar, Sturridge.
- English Barclays Premier League
- 19 August 2012, 1:30pm
- DW Stadium
- Attendance: 19,738
Wigan![]() | v | Chelsea![]() |
| 0 | 2
|
match report
Eden Hazard played a starring role for Chelsea as Roberto Di Matteo's men ran out easy 2-0 winners at Wigan in the Premier League on Sunday.
Both goals came in the first seven minutes, with Hazard setting up full-back Branislav Ivanovic for the opener and then winning a penalty that was converted by Frank Lampard.
Wigan dominated much of the rest of the game and pressed hard for a goal, with Chelsea target Victor Moses, former Blue Franco Di Santo and new striker Arouna Kone all forcing decent saves from Petr Cech, but they could not make the breakthrough.
Hazard was Chelsea's highest-profile signing of the close season and it took the Belgian less than two minutes to show why the Blues splashed out a reported £32million.
He turned another summer signing, Wigan's Ivan Ramis, rather too easily in midfield and played a perfect ball through for the onrushing Ivanovic.
The defender was not in his natural territory but he showed impressive composure to run on and slot the ball past Ali Al Habsi.
Wigan and Ramis' afternoon soon got worse as the former Real Mallorca defender crudely upended Hazard in the penalty area and Lampard tucked away the penalty.
The Latics have endured 6-0 and 8-0 defeats by Chelsea in recent seasons and the DW Stadium must have feared the worst, but those were to be the European champions' only two shots of the first half.
Wigan captain Gary Caldwell found a way of stopping Hazard, chopping down the midfielder to earn himself a yellow card in the 11th minute, but the home side began to settle and dominate possession.
Di Santo, who before the match received Wigan's golden boot award for his seven goals last season, headed just over from an Emmerson Boyce cross, while the home fans felt Cech had handled the ball outside his area but referee Mike Jones disagreed.
In the 38th minute Cech was called upon to make his first proper save from a rasping Moses effort, the winger showing why Chelsea have been pursuing him all summer.
Di Santo had Wigan's clearest opening of the half in injury time when he was played in by Maynor Figueroa but his first touch allowed Cech to close him down and a combination of the keeper and David Luiz cleared the danger.
The influential Shaun Maloney was forced off only three minutes into the second half and replaced by Jordi Gomez, but the pattern of the game did not change.
For all Wigan's pressure, Chelsea came within millimetres of making it three in the 63rd minute as Fernando Torres, who had been very quiet, finally found some space and his shot beat Al Habsi but Ramis redeemed himself a little by clearing off the line.
Chelsea boss Roberto Di Matteo then replaced one new signing with another, Oscar coming on for Hazard, while Kone made his Wigan debut in place of Di Santo.
Oscar showed his pace immediately by sprinting past Ramis and firing in a shot from the edge of the area that flew just wide of the far post.
Gomez had a good chance at the other end when he got his head on a searching Figueroa cross but he did not make the contact he would have wanted and the ball dropped harmlessly behind.
The Spaniard did better with a free-kick from 20 yards out after he was felled by Lampard but Cech was behind his well-struck shot.
Kone, who scored 15 goals in the Primera Division for Levante last season, should really have opened his account in the 84th minute but powered a header wide from Gomez's corner.
And moments later the Ivory Coast international forced Cech into a good save before Gomez acrobatically volleyed the rebound just wide.
text the commentator
team line-up
| 26 | Ali Al-Habsi | |
| 31 | Maynor Figueroa | |
| 17 | Emmerson Boyce | |
| 5 | Gary Caldwell | |
| 21 | Iván Ramis | |
| 3 | Antolin Alcaraz | |
| 16 | James McArthur | 80 |
| 4 | James McCarthy | |
| 10 | Shaun Maloney | 49 |
| 9 | Franco Di Santo | 67 |
| 11 | Victor Moses |
substitutes
| 19 | Mauro Boselli | |
| 2 | Arouna Koné | 67 |
| 6 | David Jones | |
| 7 | Albert Crusat | |
| 8 | Ben Watson | 80 |
| 12 | Michael Pollitt | |
| 14 | Jordi Gómez | 49 |
referee
Michael Jonesteam line-up
| 1 | Petr Cech | |
| 26 | John Terry | |
| 4 | David Luiz | |
| 2 | Branislav Ivanovic | |
| 3 | Ashley Cole | |
| 34 | Ryan Bertrand | |
| 12 | John Obi Mikel | |
| 8 | Frank Lampard | |
| 10 | Juan Mata | 83 |
| 9 | Fernando Torres | |
| 17 | Eden Hazard | 64 |
substitutes
| 16 | Raul Meireles | 83 |
| 5 | Michael Essien | |
| 24 | Gary Cahill | |
| 22 | Ross Turnbull | |
| 23 | Daniel Sturridge | |
| 11 | Oscar | 64 |
| 19 | Paulo Ferreira |
referee
Michael Jonesmatch stats
| possession % | 52 | 48 | |
| shots on target | 4 | 4 | |
| shots off target | 10 | 2 | |
| corners | 7 | 1 | |
| tackles won | 20 | 16 | |
| offsides | 0 | 2 |





