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Anthony Gordon dashed Bournemouth’s hopes of a perfect 125th anniversary celebration by scoring a late equalizer in a 1-1 draw with Newcastle United on Sunday.
Bournemouth’s Marcus Tavernier had put his team ahead with a goal in the first half. However, Newcastle’s Anthony Gordon struck in the 76th minute, heading in a cross from Harvey Barnes to level the score and deny Bournemouth a victory.
The draw means Newcastle now has four points from their first two Premier League matches. Bournemouth had earlier drawn their opening game against Nottingham Forest.
Bournemouth’s quest for a win to mark their milestone was nearly fulfilled in stoppage time. Dango Ouattara appeared to score a dramatic late winner, but a VAR review ruled it out for handball. The ball had brushed against Ouattara’s arm as he jumped for the header, much to the frustration of the home fans.
Newcastle manager Eddie Howe, who was warmly welcomed back to his former club, commented on the contentious decision. “I thought we had lost the game when I first saw the goal. We’ve experienced both good and bad moments with VAR, and we are thankful for this one. “It was a tough match,” he said.
Despite Bournemouth’s late setback, Newcastle looked more likely to grab a winner. Bournemouth goalkeeper Neto made several crucial saves, denying Alexander Isak, Joelinton, and a header from Dan Burn in the dying moments.
Bournemouth’s goal came after Antoine Semenyo skillfully stole the ball from Joelinton and passed through three defenders to set up Tavernier’s tap-in. Semenyo, who had earlier hit the crossbar, almost assisted again in the 64th minute, but Evanilson’s misdirected shot from the wing was a missed opportunity.
Evanilson, making his debut as Bournemouth’s record signing, struggled to make an impact. His two other attempts on goal were easily saved by Newcastle’s Nick Pope, and he was substituted after 72 minutes.
Founded in 1899, Bournemouth has enjoyed its most successful years in recent times, especially after their Premier League debut in 2015.
