Well-taken goals from Joe Cole and Kevin Nolan saw West Ham United cruise to an opening-day victory over newly-promoted Cardiff City who, by contrast, are still waiting for their first ever shot on target in the Premier League.
The Hammers were worthy winners at Upton Park thanks to a goal in each half; but it was hardly a thriller as Cardiff struggled to make an impact in their first match in the top flight for 51 years.
The visitors handed debuts to high-profile new signings Gary Medel and Steven Caulker while West Ham brought on new boy Stewart Downing. But it was a far more familiar face who opened the scoring after 13 minutes when Matt Jarvis cut back a lovely ball from the left wing and Cole turned cleverly just inside the area, before steering home a well-worked opener.
Cole, in fact, was possibly West Ham's liveliest player and could have made it 2-0 had he not wastefully chipped tamely at goalkeeper David Marshall when clean through on goal minutes later.
Mohamed Diame also went close with a fierce shot from distance that took a wicked deflection; and by contrast Cardiff, although often neat in midfield, looked rather toothless at the other end with just Fraizer Campbell foraging up front on his own.
That problem is likely to be eased in the near future when £7.5m striker Andreas Cornelius recovers from injury and joins the fray; but at Upton Park it was obvious the newly-promoted side lacked a cutting edge.
Hammers goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen had barely touched the ball until he tipped over a corner in the 55th minute as Cardiff finally made strides into the opposition half and began to show some ambition.
But Modibo Maiga almost sealed the game when David Marshall saved his fiercely-hit cross-shot and Mark Noble just failed to reach the rebound.
And then, after substitute Downing had livened up the home side, it was all over when Nolan sweetly curled home an 18-yard shot, set up following smart work by fellow midfielder Noble.
Cardiff substitute Nicky Maynard did have an opportunity to reduce the arrears, firing over the bar when well placed, but it was a hugely comfortable victory for Sam Allardyce's side.
Match details
West Ham United: Jaaskelainen, Demel, Collins, Reid, O'Brien, Noble, Nolan, Diame (Diarra 81), Cole (Vaz Te 90), Maiga, Jarvis (Downing 71).
Subs: Tomkins, Rat, Adrian, Morrison.
Cardiff City: Marshall, Connolly, Caulker, Turner, John, Medel, Gunnarsson, Bellamy (Gestede 74), Whittingham, Kim (Maynard 74), Campbell (Mutch 90).
Subs: Hudson, Smith, Cowie, Lewis.
Booked: Connolly.
Referee: Howard Webb (S Yorkshire).
Attendance: 34,977.
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