Burnley’s faint chances of avoiding relegation were dealt another blow as Bournemouth secured their first Premier League victory of 2024.
Justin Kluivert kickstarted Bournemouth’s momentum with a powerful strike past James Trafford following a defensive lapse.
Burnley retaliated vigorously, with Neto making a remarkable save to thwart Jacob Bruun Larsen’s free-kick, while Vitinho missed a promising opportunity by heading over the crossbar.
Larsen’s goal-bound shot was also blocked by Adam Smith after Neto’s denial of David Datro Fofana.
The frustration at Turf Moor intensified when Josh Cullen’s goal was disallowed due to a foul in the build-up, before Antoine Semenyo secured the victory with a deflected shot in the 88th minute.
With 11 games remaining, Burnley finds themselves 11 points adrift of safety.
Bournemouth’s fifth away triumph of the season propelled them one spot up to 13th position, ahead of a series of four consecutive home fixtures.
Familiar tale at Turf Moor
Although trailing, the Clarets received applause from their fans as they exited the pitch at halftime, encouraged by a promising first half performance. However, by the end of the match, a sense of resignation had settled over Turf Moor once again.
With their 20th defeat of the season, Burnley’s plight seems all too familiar, leaving them in a seemingly hopeless situation despite having 33 points still up for grabs.
Vincent Kompany’s side returned to the Premier League with optimism after securing promotion with seven matches to spare. However, time is running out for them to salvage their season.
In yet another frustrating outing, Burnley unleashed a barrage of 12 attempts on the Bournemouth goal in the first half alone. However, their defensive lapses, which have plagued their campaign, proved costly once again.
Even when they managed to find the back of the net, Josh Cullen’s goal was disallowed much to the dismay of the home crowd, after Larsen was adjudged to have committed a foul in the build-up.
Bournemouth find winning formula
Bournemouth has shown significant improvement this season, and their first Premier League victory since December 26th injects them with much-needed momentum ahead of a series of potentially winnable matches.
Andoni Iraola’s squad will face several teams battling relegation in the upcoming fixtures, including Sheffield United, Luton, Everton, and Crystal Palace, all at home.
After failing to find the net in their last two games, Kluivert’s powerful finish provided the perfect start for Iraola’s side.
Bournemouth had opportunities to widen their lead, with Solanke thwarted by Trafford and Tavernier narrowly missing the target, before Semenyo’s goal secured their fifth away win of the season, adding to victories at Sheffield United, Crystal Palace, Manchester United, and Nottingham Forest.
The Ghanaian forward made a decisive move from the wing, firing a shot from just inside the penalty area that found the net with the aid of a deflection.