Ahmed Hegazi scored on his West Brom debut as Tony Pulis' side opened the new Premier League season with a 1-0 victory over Bournemouth at the Hawthorns.
The Egypt centre-back, who joined on loan from Al Ahly last month, headed in from close range just after the half-hour mark to ensure the home side were able to celebrate their head coach signing a one-year contract extension with three points.
Pulis agreed terms to extend his stay with the club until 2019 on Friday, and it was back to business 24 hours later as West Brom continued the theme of the previous campaign by displaying trademark defensive steel coupled with set-piece prowess.
Jay Rodriguez, another off-season arrival for the Baggies, had gone close on a couple of occasions prior to Hegazi's header, while Bournemouth looked uncharacteristically bereft of attacking verve in their quest for an equaliser.
Even the introduction of Jermain Defoe, making his second debut for the club 17 years on from a record-breaking loan spell from West Ham, could not inspire the Cherries as they fell to a disappointing defeat.
It's all over...And we're off to the perfect start!Come on you Baggies!August 12, 2017
Rodriguez was preferred to Salomon Rondon in attack for the hosts and he almost marked his bow with a goal in the ninth minute, Asmir Begovic saving smartly from the striker's snap-shot.
After an injury-ravaged couple of seasons, Rodriguez was looking full of vim and vigour in his new surroundings and stung the palms of Begovic with a rasping drive before bending a measured effort agonisingly wide of the far post midway through the half.
West Brom were much the better side and made their dominance pay in the 31st minute as Chris Brunt swung a right-wing free-kick to the back post, where Hegazi rose to head through the legs of Begovic and in.
That didn't take long!Get in there, ! 1-0 Albion!August 12, 2017
Hegazi posed further problems from another set-piece five minutes before the break as his flick-on found Claudio Yacob, who could only steer a sharp chance across the face of goal.
The Argentinian went close again early in the second period with a header into the side-netting as the Baggies continued to pose a threat from dead balls.
Bournemouth improved slightly thereafter, Nathan Ake sending a header straight at Ben Foster before becoming the victim of an apparent stamp from Craig Dawson that could prompt retrospective action - the only blot on an otherwise satisfactory day for Pulis and the Baggies.
