Match report: Bournemouth 0 Chelsea 0
In a contested Premier League encounter, Chelsea had to settle for a frustrating 0-0 draw against Bournemouth. Despite creating several promising chances and striking the woodwork twice, the Blues couldn’t find the elusive breakthrough that would have secured all three points.
Chelsea made two changes to their lineup compared to the previous match against Nottingham Forest before the international break. Lesley Ugochukwu was handed his full Premier League debut, while Mykhailo Mudryk made his first start of the season. However, Moises Caicedo was unavailable due to a knee injury sustained while representing Ecuador in midweek.
The game started with Chelsea sporting their new Eton Blue third kit on a wet and windy afternoon in Dorset. The Blues quickly fashioned a good opportunity within three minutes when Mudryk and Jackson combined neatly, resulting in a crossing opportunity for Mudryk. However, his delivery was slightly awkward for captain Conor Gallagher to direct on target.
The first half saw more promising play from Chelsea, with excellent interchange between Mudryk and Jackson. Senegalese winger Nicolas Jackson came close to breaking the deadlock with a low shot from the edge of the penalty area that struck the outside of the post, leaving Bournemouth’s goalkeeper Neto struggling.
Robert Sanchez, in fine form for Chelsea, produced a remarkable save as the 20-minute mark approached, denying Dango Ouattara from point-blank range following a Bournemouth free-kick.
The remainder of the first half saw a scrappier affair with clear-cut chances at a premium. Chelsea’s best opportunity fell to Gallagher after a well-placed pass from Mudryk reached him just 10 yards out. Neto showcased his shot-stopping prowess once again, getting down quickly to his right and using a strong right hand to thwart Chelsea’s skipper.
The second half brought renewed hope of breaking the deadlock for Chelsea. Raheem Sterling, who had been enjoying an excellent game, delivered a free-kick that crashed against the underside of the crossbar but frustratingly did not fully cross the goal line. Levi Colwill followed up, but he found the net from an offside position.
Colwill came close to giving Chelsea the lead midway through the second half, with Neto denying Jackson’s side-footed effort. With just 10 minutes left on the clock, another superb save from Sanchez kept the game goalless. Dominic Solanke created space for himself and unleashed a shot, only to be denied by the Spaniard’s outstretched right leg.
As the game drew to a close, substitutes Cole Palmer and Ian Maatsen had opportunities to secure a late victory for Chelsea, but they were thwarted by desperate Bournemouth defending. The match ended in frustration for Chelsea, with missed opportunities and a lack of decisiveness in the final third costing them three valuable points.
The draw earned Chelsea their first away point of the season and marked their second clean sheet of the campaign. However, it leaves Chelsea in 14th place in the Premier League table, with the season still in its early stages.
Looking ahead, Chelsea will host Aston Villa in their next fixture before continuing their Carabao Cup campaign with a home match against Brighton on Wednesday, September 27th. Despite the frustration of the draw, Chelsea remains focused on building a strong season ahead.
Chelsea (4-3-3): Sanchez; Gusto, Disasi, Thiago Silva, Colwill (Chilwell 80); Gallagher (c), Ugochukwu, Enzo (Maatsen 81); Sterling, Jackson, Mudryk (Palmer 63).
Bournemouth (4-2-3-1): Neto (c); Aarons, Zabarnyi, Kelly, Kerkez (Senesi 73); Cook, Billing; Tavernier (Sinisterra 73), Christie (Brooks 89), Ouattara (Kluivert 63); Solanke.
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By- Sahiba Suri