Game : Chelsea FC vs Hull City
Final score : Chelsea 2-1 Hull City ( Didier Drogba*2/Stephen Hunt)
A brace from Didier Drogba gave new Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti a win in his Premier League managerial debut, and denied battling Hull City a point in the first game of the new season.
The men from Humberside took a shock lead on 28 minutes through new summer signing Stephen Hunt. Hull’s free kick into the Chelsea box was not cleared, and skipper George Boateng’s consequent effort took a deflection off two Chelsea players and fell kindly into the path of Hunt, who sidefooted home.
Drogba equalised for Chelsea by converting the first free kick of the season after referee Alan Wiley had adjudged that John Obi Mikel had been fouled near the Hull box.
Chelsea laid siege to Hull’s goal in the second half as they searched for a second goal, but some stubborn defending from Phil Brown’s side kept the score at 1-1. Boaz Myhill had to produce a save to deny Jose Bosingwa, and Chelsea substitute Salomon Kalou nearly scored with his first touch but his header went over the bar.
Just as the Hull fans sensed a point for their side, Ivorian skipper Drogba scored the winner in the second minute of injury time. A pass from Deco saw Drogba get control of the ball in the Hull box, and he cleverly flighted the ball over Myhill from an impossibly tight looking angle. Hull were devastated, but new signing Kamel Ghilas, a substitute for Hunt, nearly equalised with his effort a couple of minutes later.
It certainly was not as comfortable as their win over Portsmouth last year, but Chelsea did manage to get the three points they needed.
Goals :- Drogba 37′, 90+2’/ Hunt 28′
First goal of the 2009-10 Premier League season :- Stephen Hunt ( Hull City)
First yellow card of the 09-10 Premier League season :- Bernard Mendy ( Hull City)