Bournemouth beat Crystal Palace after late Kluivert goal
Bournemouth’s remarkable streak persisted as substitute Justin Kluivert’s goal against Crystal Palace secured his team’s fourth victory in five matches.
Kluivert found the net beyond Dean Henderson after fellow substitute Antoine Semenyo won a physical battle against David Ozoh to set up his teammate for the goal.
The match, played amid wet and windy conditions, seemed destined for a goalless draw at Vitality Stadium.
Philip Billing saw his header tipped onto the crossbar by Henderson, while Eberechi Eze’s goal celebration was halted by an offside flag after the Palace player had netted from close range.
However, Kluivert’s decisive goal in the 79th minute made the crucial difference, propelling his team to 11th place in the table.
Cherries moving in right direction
Bournemouth finds themselves in an unusual yet highly satisfying position, nearly securing safety with eight games remaining in Andoni Iraola’s impressive debut season in charge.
Billionaire club owner Bill Foley expressed confidence in December that the club could secure European qualification within five years, citing Brighton as a source of inspiration.
Currently, the Cherries boast 41 points, already surpassing last season’s tally of 39. They trail sixth-placed Manchester United by seven points and have their sights set on achieving a top-half finish in the Premier League for only the second time.
The positive atmosphere surrounding the club is evident, with Iraola even fielding questions about the possibility of sneaking into European competition following the team’s recent success.
“No. The only thing with 41 points is that you know you are safe and are going to be in the Premier League next season,” he said.
“We have smaller goals. It’s good to be not so far from teams in the top 10.”
On a challenging evening weather-wise on the southern coast, Bournemouth had to patiently wait until late in the game to secure the winning goal.
Dean Henderson, standing in for the injured first-choice goalkeeper Sam Johnstone, had already showcased his skill with a fine save to deny Philip Billing’s header, while Lloyd Kelly missed another excellent opportunity with a header wide of the mark.
Dominic Solanke came closest to adding to his tally of 16 Premier League goals when he fired into the side netting in the second half.
However, Dutch forward Kluivert ensured the home fans left the stadium in high spirits with a well-taken goal following impressive teamwork by Semenyo.
Bournemouth faces five of their remaining eight games away from home, including challenging fixtures against title-contending Arsenal and Champions League hopefuls Aston Villa. Nevertheless, Iraola’s side is unlikely to be daunted, as they continue to build confidence and momentum with an unbeaten Premier League run dating back to February 24th.
Familiar pattern for Palace
Four months have passed since Crystal Palace supporters booed their own players off the pitch after a 2-0 home defeat by Bournemouth while an object was launched by a fan in the direction of then-manager Roy Hodgson.
Palace have won just three Premier League matches since – losing seven – while they have replaced Hodgson with Oliver Glasner.
“If you don’t score a goal you can’t win,” said the Austrian after his side’s latest defeat. “We had many good situations. You need to shoot. Maybe we have to improve, be more decisive in offensive positions.”
As Joel Ward marked his 300th top-flight appearance for the club, the Eagles seemed poised to secure a hard-fought point before conceding another late winner, continuing a familiar trend. This recurrence echoes past instances, such as leading 1-0 at Aston Villa in September only to concede three late goals, and settling for a draw against Luton at home on March 9th after conceding in the 96th minute.
Despite maintaining an eight-point buffer above the relegation zone, Palace’s recent form reflects just one win in their last eight matches. Their upcoming fixture against Manchester City, who are pursuing a treble, poses another formidable challenge at home on Saturday (12:30 BST).