Burnley vs Swansea City. Premier League.
Turf MoorAttendance19,126.
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Monday 15 August 2016 12:58, UK
A tap-in from Leroy Fer was the difference as Swansea started their Premier League campaign with a 1-0 win at new boys Burnley.
Fer's 83rd-minute strike helped the Swans to a hard-fought three points against a gritty Clarets side who will feel hard done by not to have at least earned a point.
Francesco Guidolin's visitors started the match with new signing Fernando Llorente making his league debut up front and the Spaniard produced the first attempt on goal, a header straight into the arms of Burnley 'keeper Tom Heaton.
Llorente then dispossessed Ben Mee and drilled an attempt low towards goal which Heaton clutched to his chest.
Burnley's efforts at goal were restricted to set-pieces, and a cross from David Jones looked to be heading for goal until Swansea goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski fumbled the ball to safety.
Then in the 40th minute, the home side showed their counter-attacking prowess as Andre Gray sprinted his way into the box and unleashed a powerful shot which Fabianski parried away.
Both 'keepers were guilty of failing to deal with crosses at the start of the second period and were fortunate not to be punished. Heaton missed a Kyle Naughton delivery but Modou Barrow's attempt was blocked by Matthew Lowton, while Fabianski's failure to collect a Jones corner almost let in Michael Keane.
Fabianski redeemed himself with a smart stop from Sam Vokes' half-volley and at the other end centre-back Federico Fernandez missed a great opportunity to score, smashing his effort over the bar from just two yards after a free-kick fell at his feet.
But to his relief it was Swansea who made the breakthrough, after Jefferson Montero came off the bench and made an instant impact.
His cross into the box was met by Llorente, whose header deflected off the arm of Mee which forced Heaton into a parried clearance and Fer was there to tap the ball in.
Burnley pushed for an equaliser but it took them until the 90th minute to create a real opportunity, Fabianski's reaction save denying Dean Marney who shot goalwards after substitute Johann Berg Gudmundsson's free-kick had been blocked.
Player ratings
Burnley: Heaton (7), Lowton (6), Keane (6), Mee (5), Ward (5), Boyd (6), Marney (6), Jones (6), Arfield (6), Gray (7), Vokes (6)
Subs used: Jutkiewicz (6), Gudmundsson (7)
Swansea: Fabianski (8), Naughton (6), Fernandez (5), Amat (6), Kingsley (6), Cork (6), Britton (6), Fer (7), Barrow (7), Llorente (7), Routledge (6).
Subs used: Montero (8), Rangel (6), Sigurdsson (7)
Man of the Match: Lukasz Fabianski
