AFC Bournemouth 1-1 West Ham United
Premier League, Vitality Stadium, Saturday 12 August 2023, 3pm BST
West Ham United opened their 2023/24 Premier League campaign with a 1-1 draw at AFC Bournemouth on Saturday.
Jarrod Bowen’s fine 51st minute strike – 67 days after his goal earned the Irons the UEFA Europa Conference League trophy in Prague – had David Moyes’ men hoping of a winning start to the season, but the Cherries’ Dominic Solanke struck back eight minutes from time to earn his side a point.
The Hammers twice struck the woodwork, through Tomáš Souček in the first half and Paquetá late on, but Bournemouth had their chances too with Solanke’s physicality in particular proving a handful throughout.
Ultimately neither side could find the decisive goal and both left the Vitality Stadium with a point for their efforts.
David Moyes opted to start Alphonse Areola in goal, naming the Frenchman in a Premier League starting XI for just the fourth time as a Hammer, while Kurt Zouma wore the captain’s armband for the day.
The Irons made a lively start too, with both Pablo Fornals and Bowen shooting wide of the right hand post inside the opening five minutes.
At the other end, Solanke gave an early sign of his physical threat when he held off Nayef Aguerd just inside the area and laid the ball back for David Brooks, whose effort faded wide of the far post.
With 15 minutes on the clock Moyes’ men came within a whisker of taking the lead when Fornals clipped a pass into the box and Souček connected on the stretch, diverting the ball away from goalkeeper Neto and against the far post.
West Ham were offering a threat from corners too, and a Bowen delivery in the 35th minute was flicked on dangerously by Paquetá at the near post, but just out of reach of Michail Antonio.
Bournemouth’s best effort before the break came from the boot of Brooks, who drew a smart stop from Areola with a firmly-struck left-footed effort from 20 yards.
The game entered the second period finely poised, but a flurry of action soon after the restart had West Ham in front.
With 50 minutes played Brooks found his shooting boots once again, catching a volley sweetly from 20 yards, but Areola reacted well to push his effort over the top.
Then, a minute later, the visitors were in front. Fornals regained possession high up the pitch and Souček nudged the ball to Bowen, who opened up for the shot on his left foot and curled the ball into the top left corner from just outside the box.
Bournemouth looked to hit back swiftly and Areola had to block off the angles at the near post to prevent Solanke’s angled shot from finding the back of the net.
Midway through the half, space opened up for Joe Rothwell to shoot from 22 yards, and the top of the crossbar came to the Hammers’ rescue as the home midfielder looked to arc an effort over Areola’s dive.
Bournemouth kept pushing and were rewarded with a leveller – albeit somewhat fortuitously – eight minutes from time. Antoine Semenyo’s attempted shot was heading well off target, but bounced into Solanke via a deflection off Souček, and the home striker reacted well to latch on to the loose ball, round Areola and slot home.
West Ham still went close to winning it, Paquetá striking the base of the post with five minutes to go, but the east Londoners had to settle for a point on the south coast.
AFC Bournemouth: Neto ©, Aarons (Hill 75), Zabarnyi, Senesi (Mepham 60), Kerkez, Brooks (Semenyo 75), Rothwell, Philip, Christie (Moore 67), Anthony (Kluivert 60), Solanke
Subs: Radu (GK), Traoré, Kilkenny, Greenwood
Goal: Solanke 82
Booked: Mepham
West Ham United: Areola, Coufal, Zouma ©, Aguerd, Emerson, Souček, Paquetá (Cornet 90+4), Fornals (Kehrer 86), Bowen, Benrahma, Antonio (Ings 78)
Subs: Fabiański (GK), Anang (GK), Johnson, Ogbonna, Coventry, Mubama
Goal: Bowen 51
Booked: Bowen, Antonio, Emerson, Paquetá
Referee: Peter Bankes
