Dominic Solanke extends goal-scoring streak as Bournemouth secures fourth consecutive Premier League victory over Fulham.
Bournemouth took the lead at the conclusion of a scrappy first half, as Justin Kluivert’s shot slipped under Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno following a dazzling run from Alex Scott.
Solanke extended the lead from the penalty spot just after the hour mark, converting his 12th league goal of the season after Antoine Semenyo was brought down by Joao Palhinha.
This marked Solanke’s fifth goal in the last three matches and ended Bournemouth’s penalty drought of 65 games, spanning 609 days.
Substitute Luis Sinisterra sealed the victory with a spectacular stoppage-time goal, cutting in from the left and unleashing an unstoppable shot into the top-right corner from 25 yards.
Fulham struggled to mount a comeback, and in the aftermath of their third consecutive league defeat without scoring, Leno faced potential repercussions for pushing a ball boy he deemed slow in returning the ball for a goal-kick.
The 31-year-old German offered an apology to the young ball boy for the light push during the subsequent break in play, yet he faced continued boos from the home fans throughout the remainder of the match.
With this win, Bournemouth climbs above Chelsea into the top half of the table, while Fulham remains in the 13th position.
‘Leno out of order’
It was a significantly disheartening afternoon for Marco Silva’s team, and there is the possibility of it resulting in the absence of their goalkeeper for a period.
While Fulham was behind 2-0, Leno, expressing frustration over perceived time-wasting by the ball boy, took matters into his own hands by seizing the ball and pushing his palm into the youngster’s chest.
“Bernd Leno is out of order,” former Everton striker Kevin Campbell told BBC Radio 5 Live.
“He shouldn’t put his hand on the ball boy. The ball boys are told, if their team is winning, slow the game down. We all know this.
“Just go and grab the ball, you don’t need to put your hand on his chest.”
Having already received a booking, Leno’s actions triggered an angry response from the crowd, expressing their disapproval each time he interacted with the ball from that point onward.
The goalkeeper subsequently offered apologies, initially to the ball boy and later to the spectators, but the possibility of facing disciplinary action for his behavior remains uncertain.