Hazard makes dream debut as Chelsea sink Wigan
Chelsea midfielder Eden Hazard (left) vies for the ball with Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa (centre) leading to a penalty during their English Premier League football match at The DW stadium in Wigan, north-west England.
LONDON - Eden Hazard enjoyed a dream debut for Chelsea as the Belgium forward helped his new side kick off their Premier League campaign with a 2-0 win against Wigan on Sunday.
Hazard set up both Chelsea’s goals within the opening seven minutes at the DW Stadium and the 21-year-old’s dynamic display bodes well for Blues boss Roberto Di Matteo as he tries to overhaul his team’s style of play.
After powerful targetman Didier Drogba moved to Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua at the end of last season, Di Matteo plans to implement a more subtle gameplan that relies on the skills of Hazard and Brazil’s Oscar, who made his debut as a 63rd minute substitute for the Belgian.
On this evidence both should prove good additions for the European champions, but it was Hazard who stole the show.
Hazard, who arrived from Lille in June with a hefty £32 million price tag and a reputation as one of Europe’s most astute young playmakers, took less than two minutes to underline his vast potential as he laid on Chelsea’s opening goal with a clever turn and defence-splitting pass to Ivanovic, who rumbled into the penalty area before slotting a low shot past Ali Al Habsi.
Just four minutes later, Hazard tricked his way into space in the penalty area and provoked a despairing challenge from Wigan debutant Ivan Ramis, who conceded a penalty which Frank Lampard drilled under Al Habsi to seal Chelsea’s first win of the season.
Chelsea’s English midfielder Frank Lampard (right) celebrates after scoring his team’s second goal from a penalty during the English Premier League football match between Wigan Athletic and Chelsea at The DW stadium in Wigan, north-west England.
Hazard’s magic was controlling the game, but he got a rude awakening from Wigan defender Gary Caldwell, who bulldozed into the Belgian in the centre of the pitch and got a yellow card for his troubles.
That didn’t rattle Hazard though and he continued to show an array of clever runs, flicks and dribbles.
Wigan were in shock and had to ride out a couple more Chelsea attacks before they finally settled into the encounter.
The Latics won nine of their last 11 Premier League games to beat the drop last season, so they know a thing or two about digging in when the going gets tough.
Roberto Martinez’s men could have had one back when Emmerson Boyce crossed for Franco Di Santo, but the former Chelsea striker’s header crept just over.
Wigan forward Victor Moses gave Chelsea a reminder of why they are chasing him as he gave Petr Cech his first real work of the afternoon, but the Blues keeper managed to palm the Nigerian’s shot away for a corner.
Moses was the Latics’ main spark and he broke down the right to deliver a well-placed cross into the six-yard area, but nobody was on hand to finish.
Moses’ showing brought a cheeky response from the strong-contingent of Chelsea fans who sang “We’ll see you next week” to the want-away star.
Maynor Figueroa then played a curling ball over the Chelsea defence that set Di Santo free, but the Wigan striker hesitated before Cech deflected his attempt and David Luiz cleared up the danger.
Moses continued to threaten after the break as he curled an effort wide after been given space in the left-hand side of the area.
Fernando Torres should have finished the game off in the 63rd minute when he was played in by Juan Mata, but the Spanish striker’s effort was partially blocked by Al-Habsi before Ramis went a little way to making up for his earlier errors by clearing off the line.
Wigan pressed late on to get back into the game as new signing Arouna Kone came off the bench before missing a close-range header with just minutes remaining and fellow substitute Jordi Gomez fired an overhead kick over the bar.