Haaland, Manchester City begin title defence with win over Chelsea

LONDON (AP) — Make it 91 goals in 100 games for Erling Haaland at Manchester City.

The striker marked his 100th appearance for the club by netting the first goal in a 2-0 win at Chelsea on Sunday as City began its campaign for a fifth straight Premier League title.

It also took his tally to five goals in three league openers since joining City in 2022 and showed that the Norwegian is fully rested after a summer without international soccer.

“I had a feeling that he feels better than last season at this stage,” City manager Pep Guardiola said. “He feels good, and the goal was magnificent.”

Haaland gave his team the lead in the 18th minute and Mateo Kovacic added a strike from just outside the area in the 84th to make it a harsh welcome for new Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca in his first game in charge.

Also Sunday, Brentford beat Crystal Palace 2-1 after benefitting from a disputed refereeing decision in the first half.

At Stamford Bridge, Haaland's opener came when he received the ball on the edge of the area and cut between Levi Colwill and Marc Cucurella before dinking the ball past Robert Sanchez.

“I knew exactly what to do, I think it was a really good goal," Haaland said.

It was the kind of clinical center-forward play that Chelsea lacked for much of last season and again on Sunday despite another summer of heavy spending.

Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson had a goal disallowed just before halftime after needlessly straying offside and then hit a close-range volley straight at City goalkeeper Ederson in the 61st before being taken off for 18-year-old newcomer Marc Guiu.

“The performance was there but we didn’t take the chances,” Maresca said. “Probably the big difference was inside the box.”

Still, there were signs of encouragement for Maresca, the former Man City assistant under Pep Guardiola. While none of Chelsea’s nine summer signings started the game, Romeo Lavia made his first league start after missing most of last season with injuries and impressed in a midfield partnership with Moises Caicedo.

Winger Pedro Neto came off the bench in the 59th to make his debut after a big-money move from Wolves and nearly scored right away as he was inches from getting to Enzo Fernandez’s low cross toward the far post.

But Kovacic, who started in place of the injured Rodri, doubled the lead against his former club when he intercepted a high ball up the pitch and strove forward before launching a shot that snuck in via the post.

Brentford wins without Toney

Brentford didn't need Ivan Toney to start the season with a win, and may have to do without the England striker in the future as well.

Toney was left out of the squad because of what Brentford manager Thomas Frank described as “transfer interest” in the forward, but Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa scored for the hosts.

“I think every single time Ivan hasn’t played Wissa has stepped up and I think he did again today," Frank said. "Bryan started last season fantastic and is now up to speed again.”

Wissa bundled the winner into the net in the 76th minute after Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson got his hands to a deflected shot by Nathan Collins but pushed it onto the legs of the Brentford forward.

Mbeumo opened the scoring in the 29th before Palace equalized through an own-goal by Ethan Pinnock.

Palace was aggrieved, though, as Mbeumo’s goal came just minutes after the visitors had a goal disallowed at the other end.

Eberechi Eze caught Brentford goalkeeper Mark Flekken out with a long-distance free kick from the right, hitting a shot straight into the net via the near post when Brentford was expecting a delivery into the box. However, referee Sam Barrott whistled for a foul on Palace midfielder Will Hughes as he jostled for position in a scrum of players on the edge of the area. While the decision enraged Palace manager Oliver Glasner, VAR could not review it as Barrott’s whistle came before the ball had gone into the net.

“I was told that he blew too early and made the mistake," Glasner said. “I think everyone was surprised the referee whistled so early. We thought it was a goal, but the rules are that when the referee whistles the goal doesn’t count. It is what it is.”

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer