Ryan Fraser and Callum Wilson were on target as Bournemouth kicked off the season with a 2-0 win over newly-promoted Cardiff at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday writes Sky Sports.
Fraser opened the scoring midway through the first half with a close-range finish, although Bournemouth should have doubled their lead minutes later.
However, Cardiff goalkeeper Neil Etheridge did brilliantly to keep out Wilson's penalty, only for the striker to make up for that miss with an injury-time strike to seal the points.
As a result, Bournemouth won their opening match of a Premier Season for the first time ever, while after a five-year absence, Cardiff made a losing return to the top flight
After an evenly contested opening quarter on the south coast, the home side took the lead after a well-worked move.
Josh King's incisive through-ball sent Wilson clear in the box and the striker then pulled the ball back for the unmarked Fraser to coolly side-foot home from 10 yards out.
Eddie Howe's side should have been further ahead just past the half-hour mark when referee Kevin Friend decided Bruno Ecuele Manga had tripped Wilson in the box.
However, Etheridge - the first Filipino to play in the Premier League - guessed right and dived full length to his left to keep Wilson's well-struck penalty out.
The visitors were far more of a threat after the break, although the closest Neil Warnock's team came to levelling matters was midway in the second period when Sean Morrison somehow failed to score from virtually on the goal line.
And Bournemouth made the game safe in injury time after substitute Simon Francis got free to the right-hand byline, and his cut back was then rolled into the far corner of the goal by Wilson lurking near the penalty spot.
Opta stats
- Bournemouth registered their first win on the opening day of a Premier League season, having lost their previous three
- Cardiff have lost on the opening day in just two of their last 11 seasons (W5 D4) - but both have been in the Premier League (2013-14 and 2018-19)
- In the Premier League, Bournemouth midfielder Ryan Fraser scored with his final shot of the 2017-18 season against Swansea City and his first shot of 2018-19 against Cardiff
- Neil Warnock has never won on the opening day of a top-flight season (D1 L3), failing with four different teams - Notts County in 1991-92, Sheffield United in 2006-07, QPR in 2011-12 and Cardiff in 2018-19
- Cardiff goalkeeper Neil Etheridge became the first player from the Philippines to appear in the Premier League and was also the first goalkeeper to save a penalty on his Premier League debut since August 2013 (Allan McGregor for Hull City v Chelsea)
- There is a gap in age of 28 years and 363 days between Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe (40y 255d) and Cardiff boss Neil Warnock (69y 253d), the largest gap in age between two opposing managers on the opening day of a Premier League season
- Despite failing to score a penalty in the first half, Bournemouth striker Callum Wilson was involved in more goals in this match (2, one goal, one assist) than in his previous 13 Premier League games combined (1)
Bournemouth: Begovic; Smith (Defoe 93), S. Cook, Ake, Daniels; Brooks (Francis 67), Gosling, Surman, Fraser; Wilson (Mousset 93), King.
Subs not used: Boruc, Mings, Cook, Ibe.
Goal: Fraser 24, Wilson 90
Yellow cards: Daniels 41
Cardiff City: Etheridge; Peltier, Morrison (C), Manga, Bennett; Bamba, Paterson (Ward 63), Ralls; Mendez-Laing (Murphy 63), Hoilett, Reid (Madine 87).
Subs not used: Smithies, Richards, Cunningham, Camarasa.
Yellow cards: Peltier 4
Referee: Kevin Friend