Gustavo Hamer stunner gets Sheffield United off to winning start at Preston
Sheffield United had a much better time during the start of the new Championship season compared to their short and tough time in the Premier League. They didn't win a game until November last season, but they started with a win at Preston this time. Oliver Arblaster scored his first goal for the club and Gustavo Hamer scored a fantastic goal to secure a well-deserved victory for Chris Wilder's team.
The United team had a strong start to the season, despite facing many challenges. They could have used their past failures, ongoing ownership issues, player departures, and deductions as excuses for a slow start. However, they did not let these obstacles affect their performance on the field. Coach Wilder was pleased with their resilience and determination.
Andi Weimann and Yuki Ohashi each scored their first goals for Blackburn as they started their Championship season with a 4-2 victory against the newly promoted Derby team.
The team led by John Eustace was successful in their quick beginning, scoring a goal in the 19th minute thanks to Tyrhys Dolan's shot from close range following a skillful play. Although Rovers dominated the first half, Derby fought back in the second half and tied the game with Curtis Nelson's strong header in the 67th minute.
However, the challenge ahead for the Rams was exposed when Blackburn made three substitutions just before scoring the tying goal. Weimann, Ohashi, and Sammie Szmodics came on for Rovers and quickly scored three goals within 12 minutes, overpowering the visiting team.
To start off, Weimann scored a goal in the 72nd minute for his old team, thanks to a great play by Hayden Carter. Szmodics, who is rumored to be moving to the Premier League, then scored confidently four minutes later to make it 3-1. He then set up Ohashi to score a fourth goal with just six minutes left. Wilson managed to score a late goal for Derby, but this was a tough return to the Championship after being away for two years.
In League One, Mansfield started the match strongly and won 2-1 against Barnsley. Stephen Quinn and Lee Gregory scored early goals within the first 18 minutes, but Luca Connell managed to pull one back for Barnsley. Meanwhile, in League Two, Swindon fought back to secure a 1-1 draw against Chesterfield at Saltergate. Will Wright scored the equalizer in the second half after Armando Dobra had given Chesterfield the lead with a goal in the 15th minute.
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"I am thrilled for the fans after a really tough season we all went through," Wilder said. "This marks a fresh start, and I believe our performance was exceptional. This team has undergone the most changes out of any club in the Championship this season. There is still more work to be done and a long journey ahead of us. We will face challenges, but we must also savor moments like this, as it embodies the essence of the Premier League from last year."
For Ryan Lowe and his team at Preston, the night was not easy. The team had a great start to last season, leading the Championship standings early on, but five losses in a row towards the end made it a frustrating season. The fans were not happy and even booed the team at the end of the game, which seemed unfair considering it was just the first game and they were playing against tough opponents.
United's success was largely due to luck. Kieffer Moore passed the ball to Andre Brooks on the right side, who then set up Arblaster near the goal. When Arblaster took a shot, it deflected off Andrew Hughes and went in, past the Preston goalkeeper, Freddie Woodman. This goal caused the United fans to go wild, especially since they had only seen one away win in the league the previous season.
The energetic Callum O'Hare had a great opportunity to increase the away team's lead, but he got too fancy at the end of a smooth play. Preston didn't pose much of a threat in comparison, although they did play better before and after halftime. Sam Greenwood, on loan from Leeds, and defender Jack Whatmough both almost scored for the home team early in the second half.
However, just as Preston was gaining speed, they lost it all. Woodman made a mistake by throwing the ball straight to Hamer, who managed to score from 30 yards out. The fans at Deepdale were shocked by the error, but impressed by Hamer's skill in executing the goal.
Lowe confessed that the situation was draining for everyone involved, including the players and staff. It was hard to believe that such a mistake could happen, but there is no pointing fingers at Freddie. He worked hard to recover from a small injury in time for the game. Unfortunately, when goalkeepers make errors, they often face consequences like the one we experienced.