Bournemouth 2 Burnley 1
Two teams met at the Vitality Stadium who were desperate for a win, even at this early stage of the season. Bournemouth were winless so far, while the visitors Burnley had only registered a solitary victory over Luton Town.
The Clarets forced the first corner of the game after rather nervous defending by the hosts had gifted them the chance. As the ball was laid off to the edge of the box, Taylor hit a stunning volley passed Radu in The Cherries goal.
Vincent Kompany has had little to cheer so far this season but this seemed the perfect start for his side who have been struggling to adapt to life in the Premier League despite walking away with the Championship title last season.
It goes to show the gulf between the two leagues that last year his side looked like world-beaters but since their arrival in the Premier League, have looked more like Joe Biden trying to retrace his steps to find his car keys.
Credit: @afcbournemouth
Bournemouth looked to find a way back into the game and when Semenyo whipped a cross into the back post, Tavernier looked sure to score with an open goal at his mercy. Somehow, he hit his effort into the ground and it bounced over the crossbar.
Semenyo then decided to take matters into his own hands as he dispossessed Taylor, running towards goal before getting a left-footed shot away which nestled into the bottom corner of the goal. Iraola breathed a sigh of relief with the owner watching from the stands.
As The Cherries forced a corner, it was met at the back post with a towering header from Mepham but Trafford did well to parry the ball away. The hosts were full of confidence now and looking to put The Clarets to the sword.
Semenyo continued to cause problems and as he cut inside from the right, his shot was deflected wide, not troubling the goal of James Trafford. The Vitality Stadium was bouncing now and they were getting behind their team.
In the second half, Bournemouth continued to press and when Billing crossed into the box, Solanke met it with a flick at the near post but yet again Trafford was equal to it. He was keeping his side in this game.
Burnley then became the architects of their own downfall as they gave the ball away to Billing, who spotted the keeper off his line and tried an outlandish effort from just inside The Clarets’ half. His effort caught out Trafford, who despite getting a fingertip to it, could not prevent it going in.
Credit: @afcbournemouth
In the dying moments of the game, the ball was fed into Jay Rodriguez who managed to beat Radu in the Bournemouth goal. It was immediately disallowed for offside but went to VAR for a review of the decision.
We now had to wait five and a half minutes while they drew lines on the monitor, bickered between one another in the VAR studio and still could not come a conclusion as the fans inside the ground began to chant ‘this is embarrassing, this is embarrassing’.
Finally the circus that is VAR decided that Rodriguez was offside and the goal would not stand. Such is the incompetency of the system, it is akin to getting onto your flight to go on holiday to be introduced to your pilot, ‘Bobo the monkey’ who was undertaking his first flight ever.
Burnley were to have one more chance as a cross found Berge at the far post who saw his effort clawed out by Radu before his follow-up effort sailed over the crossbar with players claiming for a handball in the build up but the officials were not interested.
It was a huge victory for Bournemouth, and in particular Iraola, as they registered their first win of the season. Burnley’s troubles continue although Kompany will particularly feel his side were the wrong side of some contentious decisions by the officials and VAR.
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