Cambridge United opened their League One campaign with a 3-2 win over Wigan Athletic at the Cledara Abbey Stadium. Kelland Watts put the hosts ahead inside three minutes, converting in the 2nd; Louis Appéré doubled the lead in the 33rd; Isaac Heath made it three six minutes into the second half, in the 51st. The result puts Cambridge fifth in the table on three points from their opening fixture, while Wigan sit 18th without a point from theirs.
Wigan pulled two goals back inside four second-half minutes: Sonny Perkins in the 68th, then substitute Akeel Higgins in the 72nd, just thirteen minutes after replacing Chris Sze. It was not enough to complete the turnaround. The only card of the afternoon came deep into stoppage time, a yellow for Cambridge's Zak Bradshaw for a foul in the 94th minute.
Wigan had the better of possession, 66% to Cambridge's 34%, and a shade more of the shot count, 17 attempts to 16, but Cambridge were the sharper finishers: six of their efforts were on target against Wigan's four. Both sides used their bench heavily in the second half, Cambridge replacing both second and third goalscorers, Appéré and Heath, before the final whistle.