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Wigan win at Aston Villa 2 - 0 |
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Welsh midfielder Jason Koumas doubled the Latics' lead in the second half seal the club's first opening day win in the Premier League.
Rodallega had looked lively from the outset as Wigan gradually began to take hold of the match, and his ensured the first goal for a Roberto Martinez side in the Premier League was one to remember.
On the half-hour mark, Villa full-back Nicky Shorey's attempt to head a long ball clear succeeded only in directing it towards the Colombian, who had time to steady himself before firing a wonderful dipping half-volley right into the far top corner of Brad Friedel's goal.
The visitor's sealed the win against an uninspired Villa on 55 minutes when Charles N'Zogbia was allowed to run from his own half before finding Koumas inside the area, and the Welshman fired a low strike that beat Friedel at the near post.
The match began in tentative fashion, with both sides easing their way into the new season. Wigan played the more enterprising football, characteristic of their new manager, and slowly began to take the initiative.
Honduran midfielder Hendry Thomas was unfortunate not to open the scoring on 17 minutes when he drills shot from distance beat Friedel but struck the post and rebounded clear.
Villa hit straight back via James Milner, who impressed on his England debut in Amsterdam in midweek, when the midfielder's long-range shot was beaten away two-handed by Wigan keeper Chris Kirkland.
Kirkland was called into action again in the closing stages of the half, when he pulled off an excellent save at full stretch to tip Ashley Young's curling free-kick over the bar.
Just before Koumas's goal 10 minutes into the second half, Villa came close after confusion in the Wigan box saw the ball run loose, only for Titus Bramble to hack the ball clear.
Bramble again came to Wigan's rescue in the 89th minute, atoning for the error that allowed Emile Heskey to beat Kirkland to the ball and pass back to Young by recovering in time to block the shot when the England winger looked certain to score.
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