Chelsea vs Bournemouth Report

Scorers: Palmer 13’, James 90+5’; Kluivert 50’ (P), Semenyo 68’

Chelsea’s winless streak in the Premier League stretched to five games (D3, L2) after a 2-2 draw against Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge.

Despite Reece James’ dramatic stoppage-time equaliser, the result does little to bolster Chelsea’s faltering top-four ambitions, while Bournemouth extended their unbeaten run across all competitions to 10 matches (W6, D4) and remain firmly in contention for European football.

First Half: Chelsea Start Brightly but Fail to Capitalise

Desperate to arrest their slide in form, Chelsea began with intensity and took an early lead in the 13th minute. Nicolas Jackson’s deft reverse pass found Cole Palmer, who displayed remarkable composure to round Mark Travers before slotting into the net.

Palmer’s brilliance highlighted Chelsea’s early dominance, but Jackson’s profligacy in front of goal kept Bournemouth in the contest.

After missing a gilt-edged opportunity to double the lead with a wild shot, Jackson squandered another chance just before halftime, heading Palmer’s pinpoint cross straight at Travers and missing the follow-up.

Bournemouth nearly punished Chelsea for their wastefulness when Justin Kluivert struck the post during a rapid counter-attack, but the visitors entered the break fortunate to be trailing by only one goal.

Second Half: Bournemouth Fight Back

Chelsea’s inability to extend their advantage proved costly shortly after the restart. A rash challenge by Moisés Caicedo on Antoine Semenyo gifted Bournemouth a penalty, which substitute Justin Kluivert converted with confidence to level the score.

The match remained fiercely competitive, with VAR briefly intervening to examine an incident where David Brooks pulled Marc Cucurella’s hair. However, much to Chelsea’s frustration, Brooks escaped with just a yellow card.

The visitors seized the lead in the 69th minute when Semenyo capitalised on a defensive lapse, taking on Josh Acheampong before rifling a powerful shot past Robert Sánchez at his near post. Bournemouth’s confidence grew, and they looked set to record a famous victory.

Late Drama: Reece James to the Rescue

Chelsea poured forward in search of an equaliser, and their efforts were rewarded deep into stoppage time.

Returning captain Reece James stepped up to curl a sublime free-kick past Travers, salvaging a point for the Blues. Despite the late heroics, the draw leaves Chelsea’s top-four hopes hanging by a thread as Newcastle United have the opportunity to overtake them.

What’s Next?

Chelsea remain outside the top four, with mounting pressure on Enzo Maresca to halt the team’s slide. Bournemouth, meanwhile, continue their strong season under Andoni Iraola, maintaining seventh place and keeping their European football hopes alive.

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Chelsea v Bournemouth, 2024/25 | Premier League