Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo was undoubtedly among the brightest lights. His two more goals in their 2-0 win against Leicester City at the Vitality Stadium – he scored both again! With this victory, Bournemouth have all but guaranteed a surprise ninth-place finish in their first Premier League season. They ended their regular season strong, finishing with 56 points. Semenyo’s impressive display not only showcased his talent but marked a significant milestone, as his goals brought the club’s total to a record 58 for the campaign.
The US-Panama match was played on a beautiful summer-like afternoon. Bournemouth were looking to recover from Saturday’s heartbreaking defeat by Manchester City that denied them a place in European football. Thanasis Anastasopoulos Semenyo had been causing havoc all game and opened the scoring in the 74th minute, hooking Illia Zabarnyi’s headed knockdown into the net. He doubled the lead just as quickly though, scoring a brilliant low shot from distance. This goal put the tie beyond reach for his opponent’s team and cemented their victory.
Record-Breaking Season for Bournemouth
This season has proven historic for Bournemouth. Unsurprisingly, the club has finished with the most goals scored and least goals conceded in its Premier League history. They went on to break the club record for goals scored in a season, netting 58 times. They broke the 200 shot-on-goal barrier in the competition for the first time, and closed out the competition with an impressive 202 SOG.
Semenyo’s accomplishments were particularly noteworthy. He scored his 10th and 11th goals of the campaign, thrusting himself into MLS Rookie of the Year contention. As a consequence, he was awarded man-of-the-match. He has been arguably the most influential factor behind Bournemouth outpacing their expectations and maintaining a safe distance from the relegation places.
“I’ve really enjoyed it, this season with the team. This club has finished with the most goals scored and the least goals conceded (in Bournemouth’s Premier League history). To finish the season outside of the top 10 would have been really unfair for us. I am really happy, not only with Antoine but with everyone.” – Andoni Iraola
Leicester’s Struggles Continue
Doom and gloom surrounded Leicester City once again. In the process, the home team failed to register a single shot on target for the third time this season. This calamity epitomizes their plight throughout a brutal campaign, one which culminated in relegation. Their failure to take any of the chances they did create only aggravated their problems against a good Bournemouth side.
Milos Kerkez was dazzling in the match, churning out yet another impressive performance to help make Bournemouth a brick wall at the back. Dean Huijsen’s introduction as a substitute for Marcos Senesi earned loud applause from the home support. Huijsen is set for a £50 million Bournemouth to Real Madrid transfer this summer! With his final act, he had pleased the audience and left them eager to see what he might do in life outside of this project.
Looking Ahead
As Bournemouth look back on this incredible season, hopefully they’ll use this upward trend as something to model their next year on. The club’s performance improvement signals optimism for their future, despite missing out on European football after their defeat to Manchester City earlier this week.
Ruud van Nistelrooy, Leicester’s manager, expressed disappointment regarding his team’s relegation and acknowledged that discussions surrounding his future must take place.
“I still have to wait to have a conversation on a future together or not. That needs to take place. It’s been a hard season and of course, very disappointed with the relegation.” – Ruud van Nistelrooy
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