0-1, min. 17, Maatsen.
Burnley ran out 0-1 winners against Huddersfield Town in the opening match of the Championship season at the John Smith's Stadium.
The visitors, who were playing their first competitive game since their relegation from the Premier League, were too strong for last season's Championship play-off finalists.
It was Chelsea loanee Ian Maatsen's curling effort in the 17th minute that separated the sides, but in truth the visitors should have scored more.
Whilst The Terriers improved significantly in the second half, it was Burnley who were the better side in a game which saw new boss Vincent Kompany hand six players their debuts for The Clarets.
Story of the match
The first opening of the game saw Tom Lees attempt to get on the end of a set piece for The Terriers, but he was not quite able to connect with it.
The Englishman then made a vital contribution at the other end of the field to deny Ashley Barnes with a sliding challenge.
Lees made the tackle just as Barnes was about to shoot after finding himself in on goal.
Clarets loanee Ian Maatsen managed to burst down the left wing, setting the ball back to Josh Cullen who saw his effort comfortably saved.
Lee Nicholls had to be alert to hold onto a driven effort by Barnes soon after.
Burnley started their first competitive match of Kompany's tenure strongly, controlling possession and pressing the hosts high up the pitch.
They had something to show for their start in the 17th minute when Maatsen gave the visitors the lead.
His curling effort into the bottom right hand corner from the edge of the box got Burnley off to the perfect start in the Championship.
The Clarets had a wonderful chance to score again straight after, when Connor Roberts found himself on the end of a lobbed through ball.
He could not convert the opportunity however, as Nicholls was equal to it from close range.
The Welshman then saw his cross turned behind for a corner after finding himself in space in the box, as he looked to flash the ball across goal.
There were groans from the home crowd around the half an hour mark when Lees cheaply gave the ball away on the counter attack.
Minutes later Dara Castelloe was at the heart of a neat passing move on the edge of the box which just about failed to fashion an opening after the ball was floated just past the back post.
Josh Brownhill tried to cross the ball in from a deep position but it was headed away.
Josh Koroma broke forwards for the hosts and unleashed a shot, but it was blocked.
Castelloe found himself on the end of a fantastic move from The Clarets, but he failed to double their lead.
Brownhill had played a lofted pass to Maatsen, who drilled the ball to the Irishman but his half volley never threatened Nicholls' goal.
He had a half chance just before the break when Maatsen cut in from the left hand side to give Castelloe the ball, but his shot rolled wide of the target.
It was Burnley who led at the interval after a dominant first 45 minutes, with the only real criticism being that they had just the one goal to show for it.
They outclassed a helpless Huddersfield side in the first half, who looked as if they were suffering the consequences of former manager Carlos Corberan's resignation late on in pre-season.
Half time score: Huddersfield Town 0-1 Burnley
Koroma found himself in space on the left hand side to start the second half, but was well marshalled away from goal by Roberts.
Danny Ward found himself just about unable to meet a floated cross into the box for The Terriers, in a more promising spell for Huddersfield.
Nicholls found himself fortunate to not cost his team dearly when he gave the ball away trying to play out from the back.
His pass was intercepted and Brownhill tried to pick out Cullen, who could not connect with the pass to punish the error.
Arijanet Muric was on hand to punch away a dangerous ball into the Burnley box.
Brownhill hit the ball from range, but his strike went high and wide.
Ward volleyed the ball goalwards after the ball hit several bodies in the box and fell to the striker, but his effort was lashed over the bar.
Taylor Harwood-Bellis had a chance to head the ball in at the back post from a cross to give Burnley breathing space, but Nicholls managed to save the shot.
Maatsen's effort soon after from a long way out was nowhere near hitting the target.
The Dutchman then managed to beat his man and lay off the ball to substitute and debutant Scott Twine, who could only fire his shot at a defender.
Vitinho tried to get his name on the scoresheet but also saw his shot blocked.
Twine, the new arrival from MK Dons, smashed a free kick against the woodwork as the game entered the final ten minutes.
Full time saw Burnley secure a deserved win at the John Smith's Stadium to get off to the perfect start to the season.
Whilst Huddersfield improved in the second half, Burnley were by far the better side and deserved their victory, the only concern for Kompany will be that they were only able to win by one goal.
It was a defensively compact performance that saw The Clarets play a progressive, passing style of play.
However, it was not a performance that will have inspired new Huddersfield manager Danny Schofield, who will know his side will need to produce better than they showed on the night in future.
Player of the match
Chelsea loanee and debutant Maatsen showed his class in an impressive performance in West Yorkshire.
He opened the scoring with a beautiful curling effort in the 17th minute and was a constant threat on the left hand side for the visitors.
The 20-year-old was the main source of creativity for Burnley on the night, which might suggest that The Clarets plan on making use of their full backs in an attacking capacity.
The left back was also responsible for some driving runs forwards, which caused all sorts of problems for Huddersfield.
It was certainly an impressive debut for the Dutchman, who will hope to show his ability to his parent club this season and help Burnley return to the Premier League in the process.
