Bournemouth take a point against Chelsea in game of two halves

15th January 2025 | By Tom Ellerby

Bournemouth kept their unbeaten streak intact as they drew 2-2 with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday evening.

The hosts did take the lead early on through Cole Palmer and dominated the first half. The Cherries turned the game on it's head with a penalty from Justin Kluivert and an Antoine Semenyo strike. However, Chelsea managed to rescue a point in the final few minutes thanks to a Reece James free-kick.

Team Selection and Line-up Adjustments

Andoni Iraola opted for two changes from the 1-0 win over Everton, bringing in David Brooks and Tyler Adams in place of Justin Kluivert and the injured Evanilson. Mark Travers retained his position between the sticks, with Kepa Arrizabalaga unavailable against his parent club.

Chelsea Dominate Early Stages

Chelsea started brightly, using their pace to penetrate Bournemouth’s defence in the opening ten minutes. However, they struggled to trouble Mark Travers until the 13th minute. Nicolas Jackson broke through, beating Ilya Zabarnyi and setting up Cole Palmer. Palmer confidently strode past the Bournemouth defence, feinted a shot, and slotted the ball past Travers to give Chelsea a deserved lead.

Injury Blow for Bournemouth

Bournemouth suffered a setback when defender James Hill picked up an injury. Although he initially tried to continue, Justin Kluivert eventually replaced him. This led to a reshuffle, with Lewis Cook moving to right-back and Ryan Christie dropping into midfield.

Chelsea Miss Chances to Extend Their Lead

Chelsea came close to doubling their advantage in the 33rd minute when Noni Madueke beat Dean Huijsen, cut into the box, and laid the ball off to Nicolas Jackson. However, Jackson fired over the crossbar.

Jackson had another opportunity to make it 2-0 when he won the ball in midfield and charged towards the goal. Unfortunately for Chelsea, his shot struck the post with Travers beaten. Cole Palmer also tested Travers with an ambitious shot from the edge of the box six minutes before half-time, but the Bournemouth keeper pushed it behind for a corner.

On the stroke of half-time, Palmer whipped in a cross from the right wing to find Jackson. His header was parried by Travers, and the rebound was sent into the side netting, keeping Bournemouth just one goal down at the break.

Bournemouth Fight Back in the Second Half

The Cherries were handed a lifeline four minutes into the second half when Antoine Semenyo’s run was halted by a shove from Moises Caicedo, leading to a penalty. Justin Kluivert stepped up and confidently smashed it straight down the middle, levelling the scores.

The turnaround was completed in the 68th minute. Ryan Christie played a perfectly timed pass to Antoine Semenyo, who darted past Josh Acheampong and finished brilliantly past Robert Sánchez, putting Bournemouth ahead.

Late Drama as Reece James Rescues Chelsea

Both teams pressed for a decisive goal in the final stages. Chelsea found their equaliser in the dying moments from a free-kick on the edge of the penalty area. Substitute Reece James marked his return from injury with a pinpoint strike past the wall, leaving Travers unable to react in time.

Bournemouth's Unbeaten Run Continues

The final whistle marked an important point on the road for Bournemouth, extending their unbeaten streak to ten matches across all competitions, with six wins. The Cherries will aim to make it eleven when they face Newcastle at St James’ Park on Saturday.