Ouattara's Dream Debut Secures First Win for Brentford

Brentford earned their first points of the new Premier League season in a memorable 1-0 victory over Aston Villa, thanks to a dream debut goal from club-record signing Dango Ouattara. 

The 23-year-old Burkina Faso winger, who recently joined from Bournemouth for a reported £42 million, wasted no time making his mark. Just 12 minutes into the match, Ouattara found the back of the net after pouncing on a rebound, following a clever flick-on from Igor Thiago.

The win was a welcome relief for new coach Keith Andrews, who was promoted to the top job after Thomas Frank's departure to Tottenham. Andrews, who had a 3-1 opening-day loss to Nottingham Forest to forget, saw his side continue their impressive streak of never losing their first home game of a top-flight season. The performance was a testament to the team’s resilience, especially after a summer that saw the departure of key players like top scorer Bryan Mbeumo to Manchester United and former captain Christian Norgaard to Arsenal.

Villa, who now have just one point from their first two matches, struggled to break down Brentford's stubborn defense. While they created more chances than in their goalless draw against Newcastle, they were unable to find a way past goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher. It was a frustrating afternoon for Unai Emery's side, with England international Ollie Watkins having a particularly quiet game against his former club.

The match also marked a significant milestone for Jordan Henderson, who made his first Premier League start since May 2023. The former Liverpool captain, now 35, received a warm ovation from the Brentford faithful when he was substituted in the second half. Ultimately, it was Ouattara’s goal that made the difference, providing a much-needed lift for Brentford and suggesting they may have found a worthy successor to their departed stars.