West Ham 1 Aston Villa 2 - Duran gives Villa perfect start
Jhon Duran hit the winner as Villa began the Premier League season with victory at West Ham.
The Colombia international, who last month looked likely to join the Hammers, instead condemned their new boss Julen Lopetegui to defeat on his first match in charge.
Villa led early through new signing Amadou Onana before being pegged back by Lucas Paqueta’s penalty.
But Duran ensured it was Unai Emery’s team who left victorious when he thumped home Jacob Ramsey’s cross 11 minutes from time.
Analysis
Duran had looked almost certain to leave Villa for much of the summer with first Chelsea and then the Hammers pursuing his signature.
The 20-year-old had upset supporters by performing the Hammers’ Irons gesture on social media.
But after this winner, that faux pas will be quickly forgotten. Duran’s celebration in front of the travelling fans seemed both an apology and confirmation he would now like to stick around.
Emery had handed Ollie Watkins the start despite the England international’s shortened pre-season following Euro 2024. Watkins showed no shortage of effort but lacked sharpness.
Duran, who replaced him just past the hour mark, was much brighter and had already missed one golden chance before hitting the target.
The win was no more than Villa deserved with Emery’s men having squandered several good chances after Onana headed them into an early lead.
Leon Bailey hit the post, John McGinn fired just wide and Morgan Rogers also tested Alphonse Areola, before Paqueta levelled from the spot after Matty Cash was adjudged to have fouled Tomas Soucek.
West Ham were brighter after that but Villa continued to create chances before Duran finally took one.
Both clubs have made 15 signings combined, at a cost of more than £260million, to this point of the transfer window but only three featured across the two starting line-ups, Onana the only new face in Villa’s XI.
The Belgium international could hardly have made a swifter impact as he put Villa in front inside four minutes. Tielemans delivered the corner from the left and Onana escaped from Antonio to head home unmarked at the near post from no more than three yards out. Villa will not score a simpler goal all season.
The visitors, who had already looked bright, threatened to make it two when Rogers ran at the home defence but Areola got down to save a shot which perhaps lacked a little power.
At the midway point of the half, Bailey missed an even better chance. Having beaten Areola to Cash’s long pass, the winger showed an exquisite first touch to round the keeper but from a tight angle, sent his finish against the near post.
The opportunities kept coming. Villa broke quickly and when Bailey found McGinn, the skipper sent a shot rolling just wide of the near post after Vladimir Coufal had blocked his first effort.
You feared the missed chances might cost Villa and eight minutes before the break, they did. Cash jumped under a high ball which Soucek won and as the defender looked to recover he made contact with the attacker, who fell to the ground.
Referee Tony Harrington immediately pointed to the spot and though the decision looked a little soft, neither did there seem enough to overturn it. Paqueta, after a stuttering run up, coolly sent Emi Martinez the wrong way to even things up.
The hosts were suddenly alive and it needed a sharp save from Martinez at his near post to prevent Emerson putting them ahead before the break.
An important intervention was also required from Lucas Digne early in the second period, the left-back throwing himself in the way of Soucek’s shot after Mohammed Kudus had rather skilfully found the midfielder unmarked at the far post.
Villa’s next big chance came to Rogers. The attacker led a break out of defence but after Mavropanos had blocked Tielemans’ shot, he was unable to direct the rebound beyond the defender.
Kudus, increasingly influential, shot wide while Antonio also sent a header over the bar as the hosts continued to edge it.
Yet it was the best chances which continued to fall Villa’s way. Duran, introduced just past the hour mark in place of the flagging Watkins, missed a great one when he swept into the side netting having been played in by Digne.
The second time, the striker made no mistake. Torres started the move with a pass out to the left wing to Ian Maatsen, his touch found Ramsey, who in turn found Duran to fire home. The striker’s celebration in front of the travelling fans appeared both apology and confirmation he plans to stick around.
Key Moments
4 GOAL Amadou Onana gives Villa the perfect start, heading home Youri Tielemans’ corner.
37 GOAL West Ham level from the spot through Lucas Paqueta.
79 GOAL Jhon Duran fires Villa back in front from Jacob Ramsey’s cross.
Teams
West Ham (4-2-3-1): Areola, Coufal (Todibo 85), Kilman, Mavropanos, Emerson, Rodriguez (Ings 85), Kudus, Bowen (Summerville 73), Kudus, Paqueta (Ward-Prowse 73), Antonio (Fullkrug 73) Subs not used: Cresswell, Wan-Bissaka, Irving, Fabianksi (gk).
Villa (4-4-2): Martinez, Cash (Nedeljkovic 82), Konsa, Torres, Digne (Maatsen 74), Bailey (Philogene 74), McGinn (Ramsey 62), Onana, Rogers, Tielemans, Watkins (Duran 62) Subs not used: Carlos, Barkley, Buendia, Gauci (gk).
