Bournemouth 1 West Ham 1
Andoni Iraola went into his first Premier League game as Bournemouth manager as they welcomed West Ham to the Vitality Stadium. The visitors started the better and it was not long before Benrahma fed the ball into the path of Soucek as he strode into The Cherries box, sliding onto the pass and beating Neto, only to see his effort rebound off the far post.
Soucek and Benrahma linked up well again to get the ball out wide to Jarrod Bowen, who twisted and turned his man before looking to cross from the byline, but it was blocked for a corner. Bowen’s corner was flicked on by Man City target Paqueta, seemingly beating Neto in the Bournemouth goal, but luckily for the hosts Billing was on the line to clear.
Iraola’s side first tested Areola in the West Ham goal towards the end of the first half when Brooks shot from outside of the box but the keeper was able to palm the ball away. The hosts started the second half well as Solanke did well linking up with Aarons, his ball into the box was headed down to Brooks who struck it well on the volley. His shot seemed destined for the net until Areola was able to get a fingertip to it to tip the ball over the bar for a corner.
Aarons did well again with a threaded pass to Solanke who tried to get a shot away from a tight angle, which needed an Areola save to keep the ball out. Rothwell then cut in from the left flank, dropping his shoulder and firing a shot in from outside the box that rattled the West Ham crossbar. Semenyo came on for Bournemouth and was soon in the action combining well in the centre of the pitch before he looked to unleash a shot from just outside of the box.
Credit: @WestHam
It took a big deflection, straight into the path of Solanke who took it around the keeper to slot it calmly into the visitor’s goal. The Hammers had been linked to a move for Solanke, if true, this was some way to put yourself in the shop window for a move to London.
West Ham looked to immediately bounce back as Paqueta found Ings but his shot at goal deflected wide for a corner. Bournemouth failed to fully clear the resulting corner and as the ball dropped to Paqueta, just inside the box, his shot thundered off the base of the post.
Neither team could find a winner and were to share the spoils on the south coast.
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