Bournemouth beat Arsenal for the first time ever away from home in the Premier League, coming from behind to secure a 2-1 win at Emirates Stadium. The Cherries stunned the Gunners with second-half goals from Dean Huijsen and Evanilson.
Declan Rice Scores on His 100th Appearance for Arsenal
Bournemouth beat Arsenal: Arsenal took the lead in the 34th minute through Declan Rice. On his 100th appearance for the club, Rice latched onto a smart reverse pass from captain Martin Ødegaard and calmly finished past goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.
Arsenal Miss Opportunities to Extend the Lead
Despite several good chances, Arsenal couldn’t double their advantage. Bukayo Saka curled one shot just wide, and Rice himself had more attempts but failed to find the net again.
Bournemouth Strike Back in Second Half
Bournemouth looked dangerous on the counter and finally made it count in the 67th minute. Dean Huijsen rose highest to head home from Antoine Semenyo’s long throw, equalising for the Cherries.
VAR Drama as Evanilson Scores the Winner
Just eight minutes later, Evanilson bundled the ball into the net from a corner. After a long VAR check for handball, the goal was confirmed, completing a shocking comeback for Bournemouth and Bournemouth beat Arsenal.
Arsenal Collapse After Losing Control
Captain Ødegaard admitted that the team lost control after conceding. “We got the goal and felt like we controlled pretty much everything. But they score and we lose control… the second half is not acceptable,” he told Sky Sports.
Title Hopes Fading Fast after Bournemouth beat Arsenal
After Bournemouth beat Arsenal, This result leaves Arsenal second in the table with 67 points, behind newly crowned champions Liverpool. They are only three points ahead of Manchester City and need six more points from their final three games to secure a top-five finish and Champions League qualification.
Bournemouth Dreaming of Europe
Bournemouth are now 8th with 53 points from 35 games. If results go their way, they could qualify for European football for the first time. Forward Evanilson remains optimistic: “Since I arrived that was the project that was presented to me. I always believed we have the quality to fight for these positions.”
Mikel Arteta Forced to Field Strong Team
With a crucial Champions League second leg coming up against Paris Saint-Germain, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta still opted to play a strong starting XI. PSG, in contrast, rested 10 players in their league match against Strasbourg. Arteta explained: “They have earned the luxury to do that. We haven’t because we still have a lot to do in the Premier League.”
What’s Next for Both Teams?
Arsenal now turn their attention to the Champions League semifinal second leg in Paris, where they trail PSG 1-0. Bournemouth have a challenging schedule ahead, hosting Aston Villa next before travelling to Manchester City.
