West Ham 1 Bournemouth 1
David Moyes had managed to capture Man City midfielder Kalvin Phillips on loan for the remainder of the season. He made his Hammers’ debut against The Cherries at the London Stadium with fans looking to see if he could replicate his form from his Leeds Utd days.
His game could not have got off to a worse start. As he received the ball from Zouma on the edge of his own box, he looked to knock it to his keeper but could only find Solanke. The Bournemouth striker accepted the gift and slotted it past Areola to make it one-nil to the visitors.
Phillips felt like he wanted the ground to open up and swallow him. However, there was plenty of time left in the game for him to try and win over the West Ham fans. Moyes’ side needed to get back to the form that saw them move into the European spots in the Premier League.
Iraola’s side continued to press and as the ball dropped to Senesi in the box, he rifled a shot towards goal. It narrowly went over the crossbar with the hosts struggling to cope with The Cherries. This was not what the West Ham fans were expecting from this game.
Credit: @afcbournemouth
Scott was pulling the strings in the middle of the park and as the ball was worked to Cook, a long way out, he decided now was the time to try and get his first Premier League goal. His effort narrowly missed the far post with Areola scrambling.
Solanke then laid the ball off to Semenyo in the box and the midfielder should have doubled the lead for Bournemouth. The West Ham keeper made a decent save but the visitors should have been far more clinical in front of goal.
The Hammers almost found a way back into this game as Ward Prowse swung in a teasing cross from the wing. Kudus made sure he was the first to it and got a touch but could not beat Neto in The Cherries’ goal. First half chance for Moyes’ side.
Bournemouth broke with pace and crisp passing as Christie fed the ball to Solanke. He strode forward before spotting the run of Semenyo out wide. The midfielder cut inside and struck a shot at goal which went inches over the bar after taking a deflection.
The replay showed that the West Ham keeper got a telling touch as the ball went past him. Without the intervention of Areola, that shot was heading into the back of the net. It had kept his side in this game with time running out.
As West Ham poured forward, Kudus went down in the box but the referee was not interested. VAR reviewed it and sent the referee to the monitor. The Bournemouth defender seemingly hauled him to the ground as he looked to head towards goal.
Credit: @WestHam
The referee pointed to the spot and James Ward Prowse stepped up to stroke the ball past Neto and draw his side level. It was no more than the hosts had deserved in what was quite an even game. Bournemouth however, will feel they created enough chances to take all three points in the capital.
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