Robson-Kanu hits Baggies winner, then sees red
West Bromwich Albion won for the second straight Premier League game, defeating Burnley 1-0 in a scrappy encounter at Turf Moor.
Substitute Hal-Robson Kanu scored and then got sent off as West Bromwich Albion claimed a 1-0 away Premier League victory over Burnley.
Eight minutes after coming on for James McClean, the Wales international fired past Tom Heaton with 19 minutes remaining, an effort which was the only shot on target of a scrappy match at Turf Moor.
Robson-Kanu was then sent off with seven minutes left after catching Matt Lowton with an arm, but West Brom held on to triumph.
West Brom has now won both of its two matches to start the new season, the first time since 1978-1979 it has done so in a top-flight campaign.
Burnley, meanwhile, was brought back down to earth after stunning champion Chelsea with a win at Stamford Bridge last week.
West Brom handed new signing Gareth Barry his debut, but was without the injured Jonny Evans – subject of a rejected bid from Manchester City – as it kept a second consecutive clean sheet.
It joins early league leader Manchester United on six points after winning by the same scoreline which it defeated Bournemouth last week.
West Brom threatened first, with Burnley defender James Tarkowski having to make a key block from McClean's effort.
The visitors' Ahmed Hegazi required treatment early on after two separate head clashes left him bloody, Burnley threatening for the first time during one of his spells off the field when Jeff Hendrick fired just wide from the edge of the area.
The unchanged hosts continued to threaten, Johann Gudmundsson coming close with a curling strike and a header, before in-form Sam Vokes failed to get a touch on an inviting cross.
Both sides then squandered golden opportunities from close-range headers before the first half's conclusion. Sam Field could not react in time to convert Matt Phillips's corner, before Ben Mee somehow missed the target from Robbie Brady's delivery at the other end.
Jake Livermore had the ball in the net for West Brom early in the second half, but an offside against Jay Rodriguez in the build-up meant the deflected strike was ruled out.
Brady sent a presentable free-kick opportunity straight into the wall as the match entered the closing stages without a shot on target.
The breakthrough arrived for the visitors in scrappy fashion when Phillips was unchallenged as he helped on a high ball into the path of Robson-Kanu, who then brushed off two poor defensive challenges before beating Heaton at his near post.
The goalscorer saw red for leading with his arm and catching Lowton in attempting to win an aerial duel, but Hendrick lashed over and late substitute Jon Walters headed off-target from Burnley's best late opportunities for an equaliser as the Baggies survived.
