Ten-Man Chelsea Opens Title Defense With a Draw Against Swansea

A 10-man Chelsea squad had to settle for a 2-2 draw Saturday with visiting Swansea after goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was sent off during the first match of Chelsea’s Premier League title defense.

In a hectic spell midway through the first half, Oscar put the hosts ahead in the 23rd minute, André Ayew leveled in the 29th and Chelsea’s lead was restored after an own goal by Swansea defender Federico Fernández.

Everything changed 10 minutes into the second half, when Courtois was dismissed for felling Bafétimbi Gomis as he burst into the area on the break.

The reserve goalkeeper Asmir Begovic came on for Oscar, but he could not prevent Gomis slotting home the spotkick.

Gomis later had a goal disallowed for being offside as Swansea pressed for a winner.

OWN GOAL LIFTS UNITED Manchester United began the new Premier League season with a 1-0 victory over visiting Tottenham, after an own goal by Kyle Walker handed the points to Coach Louis van Gaal’s team.

Walker prodded the ball into his own net in the 22nd minute as he tried to deny Wayne Rooney, United’s captain, an easy scoring opportunity.

It was one of very few chances in a scrappy game at a sunlit Old Trafford, with the Spurs’ hopes of an equalizer coming mainly in the closing minutes with two shots from the attacking midfielder Christian Eriksen.

LEICESTER STRIKES QUICKLY Leicester opened its Premier League season with three goals in the first 25 minutes, beating visiting Sunderland, 4-2.

Jamie Vardy struck first after 11 minutes with a header to the bottom right corner, and Riyad Mahrez scored in the 18th and from the penalty spot in the 25th.

The former Chelsea coach Claudio Ranieri made a triumphant return to the league as Leicester continued its strong finish from last season, which allowed it to avoid relegation.

Jermain Defoe scored first for Sunderland at King Power Stadium, but Marc Albrighton clinched the victory with the Foxes’ fourth goal, even though Steven Fletcher grabbed a second for the Black Cats to make it 4-2.

The win gave Ranieri, who replaced Nigel Pearson in the summer, his first win in charge of his first Premier League game in 11 years.

EVERTON DENIES WATFORD Arouna Koné grabbed an 86th-minute equalizer as host Everton twice came from behind to draw, 2-2, with Watford.

Koné denied Watford a victory in its first top-flight match in eight years when he scored three minutes after Odion Ighalo had put the promoted Watford side back in the lead.