Bournemouth 1 Crystal Palace 0
Bournemouth welcomed Crystal Palace to the south coast, with both sides trying to find some sort of form for the final run-in. The visitors had managed to put some daylight between themselves and the bottom three, while The Cherries had their sights set on the top half of the table.
The visitors had the first big chance of the game. Hughes won the ball back just outside the hosts’ penalty area and fed it to Eze. He unselfishly played Mateta in, who turned his man to have a clear sight of goal in the middle of the box.
Palace’s striker will be disappointed with his finish as he made it all too easy for Neto to get down and make the save. The striker has been in a rich vein of form lately and would have backed himself to open the scoring at the Vitality Stadium.
Cook brought the ball out of defence and sprayed a pass out wide to Smith. He swung a teasing cross into the box which was met by the head of Billing. Henderson reacted well to tip the effort onto the crossbar. The action gave the home fans their voice back.
Credit: @afcbournemouth
As the corner came in, no one was picking Kelly up at the back post. He rose to meet the ball and got a glancing header but somehow directed it wide of the post. All he had to do was find the target and no doubt The Cherries would have had their lead.
Crystal Palace thought they had broke the deadlock just before the break. The ball was played in to Mateta whose cross found Eze unmarked at the back post. He made no mistake in slotting the ball past Neto and into the back of the net.
Celebrations were short-lived as a VAR review chalked the goal off as it appeared Mateta was in an offside position when he received the ball. It was the finest of margins but this is the game we now have thanks to the technology that has been implemented. If only it was flawless.
Iraola made changes to try change the course of the game. Substitute Kerkez tried his luck from distance but Henderson got down to parry. Solanke reacted well as the ball spilled out, getting there before the keeper, but could only find the side netting.
Semenyo had come on at half time and it was his cut back from out wide that picked out Kluivert in the box. He dummied a shot to beat his man before drilling the ball into the back of the net. It seemed his late goal may have decided the game.
The Cherries kept on probing and Semenyo almost killed the game off but his shot was saved by the feet of Henderson. Kluivert then tried his luck from distance but the Palace keeper made another smart stop to deny the hosts.
Credit: @premierleague
Bournemouth held on for the win and with it, ensured they will be a Premier League side next season as they moved to 41 points. The Eagles are still some way off that but Glasner must be confident his side have got the minerals to stay away from the bottom three.
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