LONDON, 15 August 2005 — Argentine substitute Hernan Crespo scored a stoppage-time winner to give champions Chelsea a dramatic 1-0 victory at promoted Wigan Athletic yesterday.
Wigan, playing their first game in the top flight, looked set for at least a fully-deserved draw or even a sensational win in the closing stages before Crespo smashed in a heartbreaking shot in the 93rd minute.
Arsenal needed late goals to beat 10-man Newcastle United 2-0 in the early game, captain Thierry Henry converting an 81st minute penalty and substitute Robin van Persie sealing a labored win.
But the real excitement was at the JJB Stadium, where Wigan played some fine attacking football and showed real determination against a Chelsea side who won the title last season at a canter.
Chelsea, whose owner Roman Abramovich has lavished 330 million pounds ($599.2 million) on the club, deployed all their attacking force on a team who rolled with the punches and hit back in style.
Damien Francis and Henri Camara tested Chelsea keeper Petr Cech though Wigan’s best early chance was sent over the top by Irish midfielder Alan Mahon.
Unable to get into their stride, Chelsea threatened little at the other end and it was no surprise when Jose Morinho threw on new winger Shaun Wright-Phillips and Joe Cole for Arjen Robben and Eidur Gudjohnsen after the break.
Crespo replaced Ireland winger Damien Duff on the hour as Morinho searched in vain for the breakthrough against a club who only left minor-league football in 1978.
Francis gave Chelsea a fright with an 82nd minute header that hit the crossbar and substitute Andreas Johansson then failed to make more of a breakaway that gave the home side three players against one.
But a point was cruelly snatched away from Paul Jewell’s men when Crespo — back after a loan spell at AC Milan — hammered home a superb shot from outside the area.
Down at Highbury, Newcastle were equally spirited but paid the price for a 32nd-minute red card shown to England midfielder Jermaine Jenas for a lunging tackle on Gilberto.
Graeme Souness’s re-vamped team held out until Fredrik Ljungberg went down under a challenge by substitute Charles N’Zogbia and Henry steered the spot-kick just beyond Shay Given in the 81st minute.
Van Persie put the result beyond doubt six minutes later, side-footing past Given from the narrowest of angles after being picked out by Ljungberg at the near post.
Yet the scoreline flattered Arsenal. They struggled to break down opponents who made light work of being a man down in their first game of the season.
“It was a difficult game against a good team,” Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger told Sky Sports News.
“Newcastle deserve a lot of credit, they will have a much stronger role to play in this championship than everybody thinks.
As for Jenas, Wenger said: “It looked to me a dangerous tackle, when he brings his right foot in...that took Gilberto’s stand leg. It looked to me a dark yellow or a clear red.
“We’ve had players sent off for less than that.”
10-Man Cologne Beat Stuttgart 3-2
In Berlin, Cologne, down to 10 men for the last 19 minutes, beat VfB Stuttgart 3-2 in the Bundesliga yesterday, while Werder Bremen also won away 2-0 at Mainz.
Stuttgart fought back strongly after going three goals behind to strikes by Markus Feulner and Albert Streit, who scored twice in seven minutes, but were left ruing a missed first-half penalty after Danish striker Jon Dahl Tomasson was brought down.
Two goals in 11 minutes by Marco Streller and Christian Tiffert offered some hope for Stuttgart, especially after Cologne midfielder Andrew Sinkala was sent off in the 71st minute for a second booking, but they ran out of time.
Werder’s strong start to the season continued. The strike pair of Ivan Klasnic and Miroslav Klose each scored and their solid defense was enough to keep out an always-lively Mainz attack.
Cologne and Werder joined champions Bayern Munich, Hamburg SV and Schalke 06 as the only teams with six points from their opening two games.
