Aston Villa kicked off their Premier League campaign with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over West Ham United on Saturday, August 17, 2024. The match, which marked the debut of West Ham’s new manager Julen Lopetegui, saw Villa’s new signings make an immediate impact.Villa’s Amadou Onana opened the scoring just four minutes into the game, heading in a corner from Youri Tielemans. This goal set a record as the joint quickest by a debutant in Premier League history. West Ham equalized through a Lucas Paquetá penalty in the 37th minute after Matty Cash fouled Tomas Soucek.The winning goal came from another Villa newcomer, Jhon Durán, who found the net in the 79th minute. Durán, who had been a transfer target for West Ham earlier in the summer, came off the bench to score with a left-footed shot that went through West Ham keeper Alphonse Areola’s legs.Villa manager Unai Emery praised his team’s performance, saying, ‘It was a great day. The players showed a lot of character and determination. We’re delighted with the three points’. In contrast, West Ham’s Lopetegui expressed disappointment, stating, ‘It was like watching the same team from last season at times. We need to work on our consistency and attacking play’.The victory marks Aston Villa’s first win at West Ham in 13 years, providing a strong start to their campaign as they aim to build on last season’s success of qualifying for the Champions League after a 41-year absence.Both teams now look ahead to their next fixtures, with Aston Villa set to host Arsenal and West Ham traveling to face Crystal Palace.
Key points
- Aston Villa defeated West Ham 2-1 in their Premier League opener.
- New signings Amadou Onana and Jhon Durán scored for Villa.
- The match marked Julen Lopetegui’s debut as West Ham manager.
- Villa’s win was their first at West Ham in 13 years.
Contradictions👾There are discrepancies in the reported timing of Jhon Durán’s goal, with sources citing the 79th minute, 88th minute, and 90th minute.
👾One source reported the final score as 1-0, while all others stated 2-1.
