Bournemouth 2 Sheff Utd 2
The Cherries welcomed bottom of the table Sheff Utd to the Vitality Stadium. Andoni Iraola’s side had claimed their first league win of the year last weekend, fancying repeating the feat against Chris Wilder’s side who have been leaking goals this term.
Kluivert won an early free kick out wide. As the ball was played into Solanke, Davies put in a rash tackle and upended the striker. The referee did not have to think twice as he pointed to the spot. These are the kind of mistakes The Blades are making all too often.
Solanke stepped up to take it and slipped as he made contact with the ball. In a comedic fashion, he kicked the ball with one foot onto his other and it spooned over the crossbar. It was one for the blooper reels, although the striker will not want to see that one again.
Sheff Utd came forward for the first time and worked the ball to Bogle at the far post. He struck a shot first time but Neto made a good save, with Hamer on hand to drive the rebound home. The goal silenced the Vitality Stadium.
Credit: @SheffieldUnited
Bournemouth came forward once again and Christie’s cross was headed goalwards by Semenyo. Grbic was equal to it as he palmed the effort out of the goal. The hosts had been by far the better team in the first half but went in a goal behind.
It was the visitors who came out of the traps quickest as they immediately started working Neto. As a corner came in, the keeper got it all wrong as he punched it onto the back of Solanke. It rebounded to the back post where Robinson reacted quickest to send it goalbound.
Neto tried to get back to claw it out of the goal but the referee’s watch told him that it had crossed the line. Either that or he received a text message at the most inopportune time for The Cherries, whichever the reason, the goal was given.
As the away end started singing for a rare moment in their season, all they now had to do was to defend their two-goal lead for the remainder of the game. This could prove to be the catalyst for one of the greatest escape acts since the OJ Simpson trial.
The Cherries looked for an instant reply and when Robinson tried to hack the ball clear it struck Solanke before the striker bundled it into the net. The celebrations were to be short-lived as VAR ruled it out, adjudging that it had struck the player’s hand before he tucked it home.
This should have proved a warning for Chris Wilder’s side. Instead Ouattara met a corner to head home and give the hosts a lifeline in this game. You could see the faces of the Sheff Utd fans drop as they started to have that sinking feeling once again.
Credit: @afcbournemouth
As the fourth official held their board aloft, notifying all of an added eight minutes, the job was not over for The Blades. Bournemouth forced a series of corners and the visitors were struggling to keep them at bay once again.
The cross came in and Ouattara flicked it on for Enes Unal to slot the ball home. The Vitality Stadium erupted as the visitors’ inability to defend their lines was exposed once again. More heartbreak deep into added time for Wilder’s side.
Iraola’s side were going for the win and Sinisterra almost got the all important goal. Fortunately for the visitors it went wide of the far post as they held on for a point. Both sides will be disappointed as they will feel they should have won the game.
Did you enjoy this article? Please share to your social media. With one click you can help spread the word and make Solid at the Back the one-stop shop for all Premier League fans.