MATCH REPORT | AFC Bournemouth 1-3 Brighton & Hove Albion

Bournemouth travelled to Brighton hoping for their first win of the season. The goalless draw against Chelsea saw Bournemouth create many chances, but could they find the goals they vitally needed at the Amex?

First Half

The opening exchanges saw Brighton controlling the majority of the ball and being pressed by Bournemouth; sparking counter-attacks. Five minutes into the game there was a weak shout for a penalty when Dominic Solanke was bundled to the ground by Pervis Estupinan,  but the referee was not interested. 

Bournemouth would create the first real chance 15 minutes into the game when Justin Kluivert drove on the counter, he stalled before sliding in Solanke who then found Ryan Christie who blasted his effort wide of the post. 

Brighton would have the first shot on target when Evan Ferguson found space with no Bournemouth defenders picking him up, but his shot from outside the area was comfortable for Neto.

The Cherries would strike with 25 minutes gone through a mistake from Bart Verbruggen. The Brighton keeper was unaware of Ryan Christie lurking when he attempted a pass, the Scot closed him down intercepting the ball that fell to Solanke who did well from distance to guide it into an empty net making it 1-0 Bournemouth.  

Following the goal, Brighton would get the next chance when Kluivert sloppily gave the ball away allowing Danny Welbeck free, he found Facundo Buonanotte who curled a tame effort into the arms of Neto.

Bournemouth had completely controlled the first half by not allowing Brighton to have any real shots that could trouble Neto, and shortly before half-time Marcus Tavernier would go down in search of a penalty, but once again the referee waved any appeals away. 

In the dying moments of the first half, the hosts would pull level with their first big chance of the game, Billy Gilmour's cross into the box saw Milos Kerkez head into his own net. Completely against the run of play undoing all the brilliant work that Bournemouth had laid out in the first half. 

Philip Billing went close with a free-kick right on half-time, but his effort was wide and the half came to a close with the score somehow level at 1-1.
 

Second Half

Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi would make two changes at half-time with Ansu Fati and Kaoru Mitomia coming on for Ferguson and Buonanotte. 

These substitutions would immediately pay off when just a minute into the half Fati played a ball into Mahmoud Dahoud in the area who then aimed the ball at Mitoma who finished past Neto, making it 2-1 with an instant impact from the Japanese winger. 

Bournemouth's first chance of the half came from Billing and Max Aarons combining with a one-two before Aarons floated a cross into the area, just out of reach of the awaiting Bournemouth players and wide of the goal. 

The hosts took control of the game following the goal, they had numerous half-chances but just could not find the killer blow leaving the door open for Bournemouth.

Bournemouth did not look like they had any answers for the relentless Brighton attack, but in the 70th minute Antoine Semenyo drove through the Brighton defence before blasting a shot forcing Verbruggen into a save.  

Brighton had dominated the second half and any hope of a comeback for the Cherries was ended when once again Mitoma found the back of the net. Estupinan had been having a quiet game, but he only needed one opportunity to punish the Cherries, his cross found Mitoma free in the six-yard box to head home past Neto making it 3-1 to Brighton. 

The away side looked down and out but came inches from making it 3-2. Semenyo fired a shot at Verbruggen who made a great save, the ball fell to Solanke in the air and he must have thought he’d scored his second but Lewis Dunk arrived to claw it off the line and keep the score at 3-1.

Andoni Iraola brought on David Brooks in the 82nd minute and the Welshman had an immediate impact flicking the ball to Semenyo who fizzed the ball across the box; a mixup in the box saw the ball fall to Brooks whose strike cannoned into Estupinan and away. 

Just minutes after coming on Brooks was fortunate not to have been sent off, the Welshman pulled down Mitoma and was carded before throwing away the ball. It would have been a soft red, but knowing how the refs have been card-happy this season it wouldn’t have been a surprise. 

The six additional minutes did not see anything of note with the Cherries looking tired and struggling to string attacks together. 

Full-time came and put an end to a bitterly disappointing loss; you have to wonder what would have happened had the sides gone in at half-time at 1-0.

Summary

De Zerbi’s half-time substitutions won Brighton the game as Bournemouth had nothing to answer for Mitoma who punished the Cherries. 

There are some positives to take into the midweek EFL Cup tie with Stoke and hopefully Bournemouth can go into the game against Arsenal on the back of a win.