CHELSEA maintained its 100 percent start to the season when a stunning free kick from new signing Deco was enough to give the side a 1-0 Premier League win at Wigan Athletic on Sunday.
Deco, who also scored on his league debut in last week’s 4-0 win over Portsmouth, struck with a beautifully executed free kick in the fourth minute after Wigan’s Lee Cattermole handled the ball just outside the penalty area.
The win took Chelsea to the top of the table with six points, the same as Liverpool, which has also won its opening two games although Chelsea has a better goal difference.
Chelsea coach Luiz Felipe Scolari told Setanta Sports: “The result was far more important than the performance today.
Wigan, which spoiled Chelsea’s hopes of winning the title last season with a late equalizer to force a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge in April, continually pressed for an equalizer but was thwarted by some good saves from Chelsea keeper Petr Cech.
West Ham United, which beat Wigan last weekend, would have joined Chelsea and Liverpool on six points if the side had won at Manchester City, but the side was thumped 3-0 after Mark Noble became the first Premier League player sent off this season.
Noble was booked by referee Howard Webb after needlessly handling the ball, and then shown the red card for lunging into Michael Johnson seven minutes before halftime.
City, beaten 4-2 at Aston Villa on the opening day, won after Elano, who scored twice, and Daniel Sturridge netted three goals in an 11-minute spell midway through the second half.
The second half lasted almost 55 minutes because of a prolonged stoppage when City lost Micah Richards. The England defender clashed heads with teammate Tal Ben Haim early in the half and was taken to hospital as a precautionary measure after being treated by medical staff on the pitch.
Richards, who had been unconscious on the pitch for about eight minutes, was discharged from hospital Sunday night having suffered only concussion, City said.(SD-Agencies)