Bournemouth 1-1 Newcastle United. In a dramatic conclusion at the Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth were held to a draw by Newcastle after a stoppage-time goal from Dango Ouattara was controversially disallowed for handball.
Ouattara thought he had clinched a last-minute victory with his 93rd-minute strike, but the goal was ruled out by VAR. The ball was deemed to have struck his upper arm before finding the net, rather than his shoulder, leading to the disallowed goal.
Bournemouth took the lead in the first half through Marcus Tavernier, who finished off a cross from Antoine Semenyo. The hosts dominated the opening period and could have extended their advantage, but Evanilson, making his debut as the club’s record signing, missed a crucial chance when he failed to connect with Semenyo’s dangerous cross.
Newcastle, largely subdued throughout the match, improved towards the end. Neto made a crucial save to deny Joelinton’s header, but Gordon equalized by tapping in Harvey Barnes’ cross at the far post.
The final moments were tense, with Semenyo coming closest for Bournemouth with a deflected shot and Dan Burn’s header being superbly saved by Neto. However, the drama continued when Ouattara’s goal was ruled out, leaving Bournemouth still searching for their first win of the season.
The draw reflected the balance of play, with Bournemouth having the upper hand in the first half and Newcastle coming to life in the second. Despite the frustration over the disallowed goal, Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola expressed his displeasure with the VAR decision, which had initially been awarded as a goal by referee David Coote.
Further drama ensued when Joelinton appeared to pull down Neto as the Bournemouth goalkeeper tried to quickly release the ball, but only received a yellow card. A Bournemouth coach was also sent off for their reaction to the officiating.
For Bournemouth, there were positive signs despite the late setback. Semenyo was a constant threat and contributed with both a goal and an assist, while Evanilson showed glimpses of his potential. However, these positives were overshadowed by the controversy of the disallowed goal.
Newcastle, who finished seventh last season, will be hoping for a stronger challenge for the top four this year. Their first-half performance was concerning as they struggled to break down Bournemouth, but they showed improvement after the break. The introduction of Kieran Trippier, who has been linked with a move away, added much-needed stability and leadership to the defense.
source – BBC
