Burnley 0-1 West Brom: Hal Robson-Kanu seals win for the visitors before being sent off

Saturday 19 August 2017 20:03, UK

Hal Robson-Kanu came off the bench to score the winning goal for West Brom before being sent off shortly after in a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Burnley at Turf Moor.

The Welsh winger livened up a dull game by breaking the deadlock with a smart finish after 71 minutes, but turned from hero to villain just 13 minutes later as he received a straight red card for catching Matthew Lowton in the face with his elbow.

In a scrappy game, Burnley had a few half-chances to score with Ben Mee going closest as he missed an open goal with a header in the first half, but ultimately they failed to test Ben Foster in goal as much as they would have liked.

For West Brom, the result means that they have maintained their 100 per cent winning start to the Premier League season following last weekend's success over Bournemouth by the same scoreline and they are, momentarily at least, second in the table behind Manchester United.

It took what seemed like an eternity for the first half to spring into life with both teams guilty of ceding possession far too easily and it looked as though set-pieces would be the most likely scenario in which a goal would be scored.

With five minutes of the first half remaining, West Brom created the clearest chance as Matt Phillips' in-swinging corner from the left was diverted over the bar via the back of Sam Field's head inside the six-yard box.

Just a couple of minutes later it was Burnley's chance to fashion a great opportunity from a corner with Mee somehow heading the ball wide of the far post from just two yards with the goal gaping after Robbie Brady's pinpoint delivery.

West Brom's stand-in skipper Jake Livermore thought he had given his side the lead just after the interval, but his deflected shot off Mee was correctly ruled out as Jay Rodriguez interfered with play from an offside position.

In an attempt to seize the initiative, Tony Pulis threw on Robson-Kanu in place of James McClean on the hour mark and his decision paid off after just ten minutes as the substitute latched onto Phillips' flick-on before firing a shot past Tom Heaton from close range.

Robson-Kanu's involvement didn't end there, though, as on 84 minutes he received his marching orders after appearing to catch Lowton with a flailing arm but fortunately for him his side held on in his absence to secure the all-important three points.

The stats

Burnley have won just one of their last seven home Premier League games (W1 D2 L4), after winning five in a row before that at Turf Moor.
West Brom have won their first two games of a top-flight season for the first time since 1978/79.
Burnley's haul of 20 shots was their joint-second highest tally in a Premier League game.
Robson-Kanu's goal on 71 minutes was the first shot on target of the game.
Robson-Kanu is only the fourth player to come on as a sub, score and be sent off in the same Premier League game, and the first since Ivan Klasnic for Bolton in October 2010.
15 of Tony Pulis' 31 Premier League wins as West Brom manager have been by a 1-0 scoreline.

The managers

Sean Dyche: I thought we were very good today, at least decent, and I think that we deserved to get something from the game.

Their chance comes from a big knock up the pitch that we didn't deal with very well but other than that I was pleased with how we played in possession and out of possession.

Tony Pulis: Burnley put us under enormous pressure in the second half, particularly after Hal [Robson-Kanu] left the pitch, they really tested us but the players responded and it's a wonderful result for us.

As the game got more difficult for us, there was a fella playing in the middle of the pitch who actually got better, Gareth Barry was absolutely fantastic for us.

The pundit - Charlie Nicholas

It was game that for 70 minutes really was all about set-pieces between two teams who are very good at them but the defenders were on top form.

For the goal, Robson-Kanu's first touch was beautiful and his second touch was steered into the near post with his right foot, it was a really clever finish. But madness for his red card.

Man of the match - Ahmed Hegazy

The towering Egyptian international scored the winning goal on his debut last weekend and followed that up with a heroic display at the back.

Twice in the opening stages, Hegazy went down injured after receiving two blows to the head that drew blood but he recovered to lead his side to victory by thwarting the Burnley attack time and time again.

What's next?

Both teams will switch their attentions away from the Premier League to the Carabao Cup in midweek with West Brom travelling to League Two Accrington Stanley on Tuesday, while Burnley make the short trip to rivals Blackburn Rovers on Wednesday.