AFC Bournemouth was unable to hold off Chelsea, conceding a late goal from Christopher Nkunku that sealed a 1-0 victory for the Blues in their Premier League clash on Saturday evening.
Both teams exhibited equal effort and moments of offensive play throughout the match. However, the Cherries squandered their best opportunity when Evanilson’s penalty was saved by Chelsea’s Robert Sanchez after he fouled the striker in the box. Chelsea, on the other hand, had strong substitutes, introducing players like Jadon Sancho, who made a significant impact after joining at half-time. Subsequently, Joao Felix and Nkunku also came on to cause trouble for Bournemouth’s defense, with Nkunku eventually scoring the deciding goal.
In the 86th minute, Nkunku received a pass from Sancho, turned in the box to fend off a defender, and calmly tucked the ball into the bottom corner, securing Chelsea’s hard-fought win and a clean sheet. The match also set a record in the Premier League era for the highest number of yellow cards shown in a single game, with 14 cards issued to players from both teams.
In reaction to the match, AFC Bournemouth and Chelsea both made strong statements with their lineups and strategies. Bournemouth’s starting XI featured Mark Travers in goal, supported by a defensive line consisting of Adam Smith, Marcos Senesi, Ilya Zabarnyi, and Milos Kerkez, with Ryan Christie and Lewis Cook controlling midfield. Chelsea, under manager Enzo Maresca, fielded Robert Sanchez, with a back four of Marc Cucurella, Levi Colwill, Wesley Fofana, and Axel Disasi, backed by Renato Veiga and Moises Caicedo in midfield.
Despite Bournemouth’s promising performance and a higher expected goal (xG) of 1.63 compared to Chelsea’s 0.64, they ended the match with their first loss of the Premier League season. Chelsea’s victory helped them climb to 7th place in the table, while Bournemouth settled in 11th after four matches.
The game was marked by intense action, including a series of fouls leading to cautions, and highlighted the resilience of Chelsea’s squad to secure important points on the road.