Latics 0-2 Chelsea

The Latics were undone in their season opener with two goals inside the first 7 minutes, Ivanovic side footed home at the near post after 1 minute and 54 seconds and Frank Lampard fired home a penalty after Hazard had been up ended by Ramis in the box

The game started brightly for the Latics, but they found themselves a goal down after losing possession deep in the Chelsea half. Moses fed Di Santo on the edge of the Chelsea box, with Figueroa in acres of space on the left the Argentine striker turned inside instead of passing out wide, he was dispossessed by John Terry, the ball was quickly played to Chelsea new boy Eden Hazard who showed silky skills by turning Latics debutant Ivan Ramis on the half way line, Hazard fed Ivanovic on Chelsea`s right and the Serbian raced into the Latics box before beating Al Habsi at his near post with a side footed strike, 0-1

The Latics looked shell-shocked with the early set back, the look got decidedly worse 5 minutes later

Frank Lampard was allowed to carry the ball unchallenged from the edge of the Chelsea box to the half way line, he slipped a pass to Hazard who scurried under pressure from Figueroa into the penalty area, Ramis came across and totally miss-timed his challenge upending the Belgium international

Lampard took the spot kick which Al Habsi was very unlucky not to save, almost diving over the ball, 0-2

The Latics looked rattled and nervous for the next ten minutes, but they rallied well and for the rest of the half they tried to get back in the game, Moses came close to catching Petr Cech out with a deceptive strike from an acute angle, but the Chelsea keeper managed to get a hand to the ball and push out for a corner

Right on half time Di Santo was put through by a glorious ball from Maloney, but his first touch was heavy and forced him wide, he tried to chip Cech but David Luiz got back to easily clear the danger away, 0-2 half-time

Within two minutes of the restart the Latics suffered another setback when Shaun Maloney had to be replaced after picking up a dead leg, Jordi Gomez came on for the Scot

Gomez and Moses both had efforts that went wide and Cech gathered well from a Gomez free kick, new striker Arouna Koné was introduced on 67 minutes for Di Santo and the Ivory Coast international looks to be a lively customer

Gomez had a great chance when he latched onto a Figueroa cross, but he guided his header well wide and Koné found space in the box from a corner but again his firm header whistled wide

Gomez went close with a bicycle kick close to the end but the Latics couldn`t find the goal that would have got them back in the game

After his early setback giving away the penalty I thought Ramis grew into the game and he looks a great acquisition, Koné is a bundle of energy and I`d say now that he`ll be a fans favourite

Maynor Figueroa - a great game for Figgy filling in at left wing back with Beausejour being injured
Latics - Al Habsi, Alcaraz, McCarthy, Caldwell (c), Di Santo (Kone 66), Maloney (Gomez 48), Moses, McArthur (Watson 80), Boyce, Ramis, Figueroa

Unused Subs - Pollitt, Jones, Crusat, Boselli.

Chelsea - Cech, Ivanovic, Cole, Lampard, Luiz, Torres, Mata (Meireles 82), Obi Mikel, Hazard (Oscar 64), Terry (c), Bertrand.

Unused Subs - Turnbull, Essien, Ferreira, Sturridge, Cahill.



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