Bournemouth 1-1 West Ham: Dominic Solanke rescues point for Cherries
Bournemouth 1-1 West Ham: Dominic Solanke rescues point for Cherries in Andoni Iraola’s first game in charge cancelling out Jarrod Bowen’s special strike
- Jarrod Bowen’s strike gave West Ham the lead five minutes after the break
- Dominic Solanke’s late leveller saved Andoni Iraola from opening day defeat
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Not that much has changed in the 65 days which have elapsed since West Ham’s famous night in Prague, where they claimed their first piece of silverware for 43 years.
It was late on that June night against Fiorentina that Jarrod Bowen wrote his name into folklore by scoring a late winner to take Hammers to Europa Conference League glory.
Two months on and Bowen was back at it again, his goal helping to lift some of the doom and gloom around the club following the departure of talismanic midfielder Declan Rice.
It was a strike of the highest order from Bowen, who curled the ball from outside of the area past Neto in the Bournemouth goal. The West Ham man had no right to beat the Cherries’ goalkeeper from that distance but such was the accuracy and pace of Bowen’s strike that it nestled high into the left-hand side of the goal.
But yet that goal proved to be temporary relief for the Hammers with Dominic Solanke’s late strike salvaging a point for Bournemouth, who got off to an otherwise inauspicious start under new boss Andoni Iraola.
Dominic Solanke levelled late on as Bournemouth and West Ham shared the points
Jarrod Bowen curls in an effort that have West Ham the lead in their draw with Bournemouth
It was a first competitive game in charge for Bournemouth’s new Spanish boss Andoni Iraola
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There was no sign of the rock ‘n’ roll football that many thought Iraola would transfer from Rayo Vallecano to the Premier League here today.
His opposite number David Moyes is at the other end of the experience spectrum and into his 20th season as a Premier League boss.
MATCH FACTS AND RATINGS
Bournemouth (4-2-3-1): Neto 6; Aarons 6, Zabarnyi 6.5, Senesi 6 (Mepham, 60mins 6), Kerkez 5.5; Rothwell 6, Billing 6.5; Christie 6 (Moore, 68 6), Brooks 6.5 (Semenyo, 75), Anthony 5 (Kluivert, 60 6); Solanke 6.
Subs not used: Radu, Moore, Traore, Hill, Kilkenny, Greenwood.
Booked: Mepham 96
Goals: Solanke 83
Manager: Andoni Iraola 6
West Ham (4-2-3-1): Areola 6; Coufal 6, Zouma 5.5, Aguerd 6, Emerson 6; Soucek 6, Paqueta 6 (Cornet 94); Bowen 6.5, Fornals 6 (Kehrer 86), Benrahma 7; Antonio 6.5 (Ings, 79).
Subs not used: Fabianski, Anang, Johnson, Ogbonna, Coventry, Mubama.
Booked: Bowen 39, Antonio 49, Emerson 87, Paqueta 94.
Goals: Bowen 51.
Manager: David Moyes 6.5
Referee: Peter Bankes 6.5
Attendance: Not given.
The Scot certainly needs reinforcements to help West Ham capitalise on the feel-good factor around the club following their European glory, especially with the burden of Europa League football.
They look set to arrive soon in the shape of James Ward-Prowse and Harry Maguire, two players who certainly improve the look of the squad.
Although Edson Alvarez, signed for £35million from Ajax, is seen as a like-for-like replacement for Rice, truly Moyes is unlikely to find anyone capable of filling his former captain’s boots.
He could do with Tomas Soucek finding his best form again, though. His displays have dovetailed since he enjoyed a strong start to life in English football but it was the Czech who had the first opening of a first-half devoid of clear-cut chances.
Soucek was slipped through by Said Benrahma but saw his sliding effort from a tight angle bounce off the post and back into the arms of Neto in the Bournemouth goal.
Iraola handed debuts to Max Aarons and Milos Kerkez at full-back and both were given a tough ride by Bowen and Benrahma.
The latter, in particular, was at the heart of some nice play with Lucas Paqueta, who showed no signs of easing up despite being linked with a move to treble winners Manchester City.
Benrahma sent a fierce strike from 20 yards just over in another warning sides for the hosts, who lacked conviction in the final third and gave Dominic Solanke very little to feed off.
David Brooks forced Alphonse Areola into a comfortable side but that was as good as it got for the Cherries in the opening period.
The second-half began with a rocket volley from the left foot of David Brooks, which Areola was on guard to tip over.
But rather than kick the hosts into life, Brooks’ thunderous effort seemed to have the opposite effect.
When Pablo Fornals won the ball back in midfield and fed Bowen on the edge of the box, there looked to be little cause for concern from a Bournemouth perspective.
David Moyes fielded a familiar looking West Ham team, the first without Declan Rice
Max Aarons made his Bournemouth debut in defence for the Cherries in the opening day draw
That opening allowed Bowen just enough time, though, to manoeuvre some space for himself and curl a peach of a shot past the outstretched Neto.
Justin Kluivert, son of Dutch legend Patrick, was introduced on the hour mark in search of kicking the hosts into life but it was defensive midfielder Joe Rothwell who rattled the bar from range.
Still, clear-cut chances proved to be few and far between. Substitute Antoine Semenyo found a way through eventually after his shot turned out to be a perfectly weighted pass to Solanke, who finished calmly past Areola to rescue a point.
Iraola won’t care one bit, though. A slow start for the Cherries and questions are bound to be asked of the club’s decision to sack Gary O’Neil. And so they should. He pulled off nothing short of miracle last season keeping Bournemouth in the top flight.
Yet this was an important point for West Ham and one which proves there is a life of optimism after Rice.
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