Bournemouth 0-1 Chelsea: Nkunku comes off bench to steal dramatic win for Blues
A late goal from substitute Christopher Nkunku (26) secured a slim 1-0 victory for Chelsea against Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium, marking their sixth consecutive unbeaten match in this fixture.
Chelsea's season has had its ups and downs thus far, and they made the trip south to confront a Bournemouth team buoyed by their comeback from a two-goal deficit against Everton prior to the international break.
Before halftime, Bournemouth appeared to be the stronger team, coming close to scoring within four minutes when Marcus Tavernier's long-range shot struck the crossbar.
Evanilson and Antoine Semenyo both missed the target with their attempts, while Robert Sanchez made crucial saves against Justin Kluivert and Lewis Cook. However, Bournemouth's best chance to score came shortly after the half-hour mark.
A misplayed backpass from Wesley Fofana put Sanchez under pressure, allowing Evanilson to intercept the ball and earn a penalty after pushing it past the goalkeeper.
The club's record signing took the penalty himself, aiming for his first goal for the team, but Sanchez rose to the occasion, successfully saving the attempt.
Chelsea had sporadic moments of quality, with Nicolas Jackson forcing a save from Mark Travers following a well-executed play by Levi Colwill, yet Enzo Maresca would likely have been dissatisfied with his team's first-half performance.
After the interval, Bournemouth initially maintained the upper hand, with Kluivert again denied by Sanchez, Semenyo shooting just over, and Ryan Christie hitting the woodwork from the edge of the box.
In response, Maresca brought on Joao Felix, having already introduced Jadon Sancho at halftime, which allowed Chelsea to gain more control of the match.
Andoni Iraola's side attempted to pose a threat on the counterattack, but their lack of pressure on the Chelsea goal ultimately proved detrimental.
Nkunku, who began the match on the bench, was set up by fellow substitute Sancho. He skillfully maneuvered past a couple of defenders before striking the ball into the corner, eliciting jubilant celebrations from the traveling supporters.
As a result, Chelsea secured a victory in a match that saw an unprecedented 14 yellow cards, setting a new Premier League record. The Blues remain unbeaten in their last three league encounters, whereas Bournemouth has managed to secure only one win across all competitions this season.
SportsLigue