Bournemouth faced a tough luck loss in their Premier League match against Manchester United. They played well, but found themselves in a 1-1 tie with Burnley. The draw at the Vitality Stadium denied Bournemouth a first league win since beating Manchester United on 28 October. They remain still on the search for that all important victory. The draw was Bournemouth’s third draw in a row, exemplifying their difficulty finding points with any sort of regularity.
After just four minutes, Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo scared the daylights out of Everton fans hopeful for a spirited escape act. The opener came from their first shot on target and offered Bournemouth fans a flicker of optimism. Yet, for all their possession, they didn’t produce a single shot on goal over the course of 120 minutes of play. The hosts endured the biting bitter of despair. Jaidon Anthony had stylishly finished a cross from Marcus Laurent, but the linesman’s flag quickly brought hopes of a seventh goal crashing down with an offside call.
Burnley substitute Armando Broja scored a worthy late equalizer, seizing on a brilliant cross from Marcus Edwards. This goal was critical to changing the momentum back in favor of Bournemouth. Burnley’s stoppage-time equalizer robbed the Union of two vital league points. Though they have gained 11 points in recent weeks, they remain in second-to-last place and five points from safety.
Match Overview
Bournemouth began the game impressively, Semenyo’s goal in the 23rd minute gave them confidence. Yet it was a well-thought-out play that allowed him to take advantage of an egregious defensive breakdown by Burnley. The intention gave a stuttering home side a perfect boost to ignite a side that had been scuffling of late.
For all their attacking prowess, Bournemouth couldn’t take advantage of their lead. They kept bossing possession but found it difficult to manufacture any other great chances to score. It’s something that has been their downfall this season — their lack of finishing their chances and converting them into goals.
As the match progressed, Burnley began to find their rhythm, creating more chances but lacking the finishing touch until Broja’s late strike. The draw leaves Bournemouth pondering missed opportunities while Burnley takes a much-needed point amidst pressure to improve their league standing.
Reactions from Both Sides
After the match, Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola criticized a lack of VAR intervention to protect his players. Despite the narrative, he knew that his team controlled the match for big stretches. Yet he bemoaned their failure to close the match out strong, something which ended up costing them the win.
“It’s not the result we wanted. We controlled the game but when you don’t control the game, these things can happen.” – Andoni Iraola
Even Scott Parker, Burnley’s newly-installed head coach, looked upon the draw as a good result in the context of their dismal run. In their last three games, his side has been under constant pressure, having to defend against ongoing attacks. He understands the importance of getting a road point.
“Definitely a precious point today. There was big pressure on us coming here, certainly with the run of results we’ve had.” – Scott Parker
Looking Ahead
This game only served to further underscore the struggles both clubs have faced this season in the Premier Division. For Bournemouth, they’ll be desperate to end their winless run as they look forward to home fixtures against Manchester City and Burnley. The return of Lewis Cook from suspension provided some relief for the squad, adding depth and experience to their midfield.
Burnley is still hanging onto a dangerous spot in the league table. Even with this huge effort gaining them a valuable point, our heroes once more find themselves with a steep uphill struggle to get out of the relegation zone. With only five points between them and safety, all of those games will be pivotal to their ongoing battle against relegation.
Leave a Reply