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Bournemouth 2-0 Cardiff
Ryan Fraser and Callum Wilson were on target as Bournemouth kicked off the season with a 2-0 win over newly-promoted Cardiff at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday.
Fraser opened the scoring midway through the first half with a close-range finish, although Bournemouth should have doubled their lead minutes later.
Player ratings
Bournemouth: Begovic (6), Brooks (6), Steve Cook (6), Ake (7), Adam Smith (6), Daniels (6), Gosling (6), Surman (6), Fraser (9), Wilson (7), King (7)
However, Cardiff goalkeeper Neil Etheridge did brilliantly to keep out Wilson's penalty, only for the striker to make up for that miss with an injury-time strike to seal the points.
As a result, Bournemouth won their opening match of a Premier Season for the first time ever, while after a five-year absence, Cardiff made a losing return to the top flight
Notes for Gareth Southgate
The England boss will have noted the sprightly display up front by Bournemouth frontman Callum Wilson on Saturday.
The 26-year-old, who has been mentioned before in regard to a possible international call-up, created his side’s opener with a clever cut back.
And the former England U21 then wrapped up the points late on with a neatly taken strike, meaning he was involved in more goals in this match than in his previous 13 league games combined.
After an evenly contested opening quarter on the south coast, the home side took the lead after a well-worked move.
Josh King's incisive through-ball sent Wilson clear in the box and the striker then pulled the ball back for the unmarked Fraser to coolly side-foot home from 10 yards out.
Image:Ryan Fraser (right) makes it 1-0 to Bournemouth
Eddie Howe's side should have been further ahead just past the half-hour mark when referee Kevin Friend decided Bruno Ecuele Manga had tripped Wilson in the box.
However, Etheridge - the first Filipino to play in the Premier League - guessed right and dived full length to his left to keep Wilson's well-struck penalty out.
Team news
This game came too soon for Bournemouth's record signing Jefferson Lerma, but fellow new signing David Brooks started in midfield.
Meanwhile, Bobby Reid made his top-flight debut in attack for the visitors, although Harry Arter - signed from Bournemouth on Thursday - was ineligible due to the terms of his loan deal.
The visitors were far more of a threat after the break, although the closest Neil Warnock's team came to levelling matters was midway in the second period when Sean Morrison somehow failed to score from virtually on the goal line.
And Bournemouth made the game safe in injury time after substitute Simon Francis got free to the right-hand byline, and his cut back was then rolled into the far corner of the goal by Wilson lurking near the penalty spot.
Image:Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe prior to kick-off at the Vitality Stadium
Opta stats
Bournemouth registered their first win on the opening day of a Premier League season, having lost their previous three
Cardiff have lost on the opening day in just two of their last 11 seasons (W5 D4) - but both have been in the Premier League (2013-14 and 2018-19)
In the Premier League, Bournemouth midfielder Fraser scored with his final shot of the 2017-18 season against Swansea City and his first shot of 2018-19 against Cardiff
Warnock has never won on the opening day of a top-flight season (D1 L3), failing with four different teams - Notts County in 1991-92, Sheffield United in 2006-07, QPR in 2011-12 and Cardiff in 2018-19
There is a gap in age of 28 years and 363 days between Bournemouth manager Howe (40y 255d) and Cardiff boss Warnock (69y 253d), the largest gap in age between two opposing managers on the opening day of a Premier League season
Despite failing to score a penalty in the first half, Bournemouth striker Wilson was involved in more goals in this match (2, one goal, one assist) than in his previous 13 Premier League games combined (1)
Image:Sean Morrison tackles Callum Wilson (right)
Man of the Match - Ryan Fraser
The diminutive wide man was the best player on the pitch at the Vitality, with Cardiff unable to lay a glove on the 24-year-old despite their best efforts.
The Scotland international made the crucial breakthrough after 24 minutes with a neatly-taken strike, meaning the player scored with his final shot of last season and his first of the new campaign.
And the pacy winger continued to threaten after the break, with one brilliant run almost creating a debut goal for new boy David Brooks.
Image:Ryan Fraser scores the opening goal of the game at the Vitality Stadium
Managers
Eddie Howe: "Full respect for Cardiff because they gave everything to the match and it was very competitive.
"We controlled the first half without really opening them up as much as we would have wanted to but two moments of quality win us the game in the end."
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Howe: Key moments swung it
Neil Warnock: "I think the start of the game, one or two were really nervous, but as the game wore on we thought, 'bloody hell, not as good as that, is it? We haven't got to fear anything really.
"Little bit more clinical, little bit more quality in certain areas, I think we could have tested them a lot more, but that's to be worked on really.
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Warnock pleased despite defeat
Pundit - Paul Merson
"Cardiff needed a little more guile about them. When Arter gets in the team they will have more about them. There wasn't a lot in the game, but Bournemouth have been in the Premier League for four years and they just have the better quality of players.
"Wilson and King were lively. There are a lot Bournemouth players who would walk into the Cardiff team, but it was in the balance all the way until Wilson got the second late on. Wilson is a confidence player, and that goal will be a massive boost for him."
What's next?
Bournemouth take on West Ham United at the London Stadium next Saturday afternoon.
Live Premier League
Meanwhile, Cardiff face Newcastle at the Cardiff City Stadium in their first home match on their return to the top flight, a game you can see live on Sky Sports Premier League from 11.30am next Saturday.
