• Date: Sat 11 August 2007
  • Venue: Upton Park
  • Ref: Walton, P
  • Attendance: 34,921
0 - 2
Manchester City

Manchester City

Bianchi (19)

Geovanni (87)

West Ham United vs Manchester City

Team Lineups

West Ham United

Robert Green
Jonathan Spector
Anton Ferdinand
George McCartney (Dean Ashton, 63)
Matthew Upson
Mark Noble
Lee Bowyer (Hayden Mullins, 46)
Freddie Ljungberg
Craig Bellamy
Luis Boa Morte (Matthew Etherington, 46)
Bobby Zamora

Manchester City

Kasper Schmeichel
Javier Garrido
Richard Dunne
Micah Richards
Vedran Corluka (Nedum Onuoha, 62)
Dietmar Hamann
Michael Johnson, M
Martin Petrov
Blumer Elano (Deiberson Geovanni, 80)
Stephen Ireland
Rolando Bianchi (Valeri Bojinov, 61)


Live Text Commentary
Full time
 

Man City fans applaud Sven-Goran Eriksson after an impressive display from his new look team but it'll be back to the drawing board for Alan Curbishley's men, despite a spirited second half performance

89

Robert Green makes a great save to deny Deiberson Geovanni a second goal as West Ham defenders look tired

88

It looks like an opening day defeat for the Hammers as home fans head for the exits

85
Yellow Card
 

Deiberson Geovanni is booked for over celebrating as the Man City fans go wild behind the goal

84
Goal
 

Nedum Onuoha is the creator as he drives into the box and squares for Deiberson Geovanni to slot home

83

Kasper Schmeichel snuffs out another West Ham move as his dad Peter watches on

80

Substitute Valeri Bojinov hits row Z with a wild shot for City

78
Substitution
 

It's one Brazilian for another as Deiberson Geovanni comes on for the impressive Blumer Elano

77

Bellamy wriggles free and stands a great cross up at the far post only for Dean Ashton to side foot volley his effort over the bar

74

Bobby Zamora wastes a great chance for West Ham with a weak shot as Dean Ashton stands unmarked at the back post

73
Yellow Card
 

Blumer Elano is cautioned for unsporting behaviour after a foul on Matthew Etherington

71

A great move by Man City sees Dietmar Hamann find Elano who crosses to Petrov but he tries to move the ball to his left foot for a shot and Anton Ferdinand intercepts

69

Martin Petrov skips his way through the West Ham midfield and hits an angled drive that Roberrt Green can only push out for a corner

67

Bobby Zamora trips Blumer Elano in an awkward challenge. Elano has left the field for treatment

65

Valeri Bojinov directs a tame header straight at Robert Green

65

Petrov finds Elano but his shot hits Anton Ferdinand. It's the first time we've seen Petrov after his all action first half performance

63

The game once again settles down after a strong start to the second half by West Ham

61
Substitution
 

Dean Ashton gets a standing ovation from the home crowd as he makes his long awaited return from injury, replacing George McCartney

60
Substitution
 

Nedum Onuoha comes on for Vedran Corluka at right back

60
Substitution
 

Valeri Bojinov replaces goal scorer Rolando Bianchi for City

60

Zamora's cross reaches Matthew Etherington at the back post who fires it across the six yard box but Freddie Ljungberg can't reach it

58

Micah Richards and Richard Dunne look a solid partnership at the back for City as West Ham continue to press

56

Poor corner from West Ham sees Elano bring the ball out for City but his pass just eludes Petrov

54

Free kick to West Ham taken by Matthew Etherington and cleared brilliantly by Dunne for a corner

53

West Ham look a different team in the second half as Mullins' cross is punched away by Kasper Schmeichel

51

Dean Ashton warms up on the touchline and it looks like he could soon make his long awaited return to the team after being out for more than a year

50

West Ham fans find their voice as Craig Bellamy drives towards the Man City goal

48

West Ham should've scored after a scramble in the Man Citry box but Bobby Zamora blazes his shot over the bar

48

Matthew Upson gets under the ball from Freddie Ljungberg's corner and the ball sails over

47

Javier Garrido clears from Mark Noble as the young midfielder surges towards goal. Corner to West Ham

Second half
 

Hayden Mullins and Mathew Etherington replace Lee Bowyer and Luis Boa Morte as West Ham look for an improvement in the seond half

46

Thaksin Shinawatra and Eggert Magnusson discuss the game in the main stand

Half time
 

West Ham fans boo the players off after an impressive display from Man City

44

The fourth official indicates 1 minute of added time at the end of the first half

40

Luis Boa Morte weaves his way into the Man City area and the ball breaks free for Freddie Ljungberg to shoot but Kasper Schmeichel drops on the ball

40

Micah Richards clears as Bowyer surges into the Man City box

38

Bowyer plays Bellamy through but the record signing is offside - to the groans of West Ham supporters

38

Martin Petrov again tries his luck from a free kick but Green saves well

36

Mark Noble's strong cross misses everyone and goes out for a goal kick

36

Bellamy slips a great ball through to the overlapping McCartney but the ball runs away from him

35

Freddie Ljungberg swings a dangerous cross into the City box but Dietmar Hamann calmly brings the ball down and clears

34

Freddie Ljungberg dinks the ball over the West Ham defence but Kasper Schmeichel smothers it at the second attempt

33

Dietmar Hamann draws a foul after a challenge from Freddie Ljungberg

31

Sven-Goran Eriksson's new signings are looking impressive as they take control of the game

29

Zamora caught offside as West Ham fans continue to be frustrated at their team

28
Yellow Card
 

Stephen Ireland picks up a yellow card for unsporting behaviour after a foul on Bowyer

28

West Ham corner from Boa Morte is cleared by Vedran Corluka

27

Petrov has his fifth shot of the match forcing a smart save from Robert Green

26

Upson clears from Elano for a Man City corner

26

Bowyer hits the bar from the free kick and Zamora's follow up hits the post but the ref blows up for a handball

26
Yellow Card
 

Ist booking of the game goes to Javier Garrido after a foul on Freddie Ljungberg

19

Bellamy hacked down by Vedran Corluka but ref doesn't give the free kick

19
Goal
 

Elano carrys the ball 40 yards and his cross-shot goes all the way across goal where Bianchi slots home

18

West Ham fans grow impatient at their sides lack of composure on the ball

17

The referee has a word with Zamora after a foul on Dunne

16

Man City have made much the brighter start as West Ham struggle to get going

16

Bellamy just offside after a great pass from Mark Noble

15

Petrov cuts in from the left hand side but it's a poor shot and Green saves comfortably

14

Upson eases Bianchi off the ball after a good pass from Ireland

12

The game settles down after a frantic start as both sides begin to pass it around

7

Petrov drills the free kick into the wall but continues to look impressive as he adopts a shoot on site policy for City

6

Petrov looks lively in midfield and draws the foul from Mark Noble

6

Petrov cuts inside and lets fly with a 30 yard shot that goes wide of Green's right hand post

4

Bowyer threads a pass through to Freddie Ljungberg but the ball runs away from him and Kasper Schmeichel collects

4

Lee Bowyer hacks down Hamann on the half way line

Kickoff
 

I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles rings out around Upton Park as the game kicks off

Awaiting Kickoff
 

For West Ham, new signings Bellamy and Ljungberg make debuts while Dean Ashton is amongst the subs

Awaiting Kickoff
 

After a busy few weeks of transfer activity, Eriksson sticks with home grown talent as he looks for a winning start at West Ham. Youngsters Ireland, Johnson, Richards start as does Kasper Schmeichel in goal.