Bournemouth, England — Enes Ünal delivered a stunning free-kick goal in the dying moments of normal time, securing a 1-1 draw for Bournemouth against West Ham in a tightly contested Premier League match on Monday.
Both teams faced challenges in breaking through each other’s defenses, resulting in some impressive saves from the goalkeepers at both ends of the pitch. The match remained goalless until the 87th minute when West Ham was awarded a penalty after a VAR review determined that Tyler Adams had handled the ball. Lucas Paqueta stepped up and successfully converted the penalty from 12 yards out.
This development seemed particularly unfair for Bournemouth, which had displayed a stronger performance in the second half but had been thwarted by West Ham’s outstanding goalkeeper, ?ukasz Fabianski, who was the standout player of the game. However, just as the match appeared destined for a defeat for Bournemouth, Ünal curled a magnificent free-kick into the top corner of the net in the 90th minute, ensuring his team earned a well-deserved point.
“Big credit to him; it was a significant moment, especially how the boys responded. I thought they were brilliant,” said Bournemouth forward Ryan Christie in a post-match interview. “It was a stroke of magic to bring us level.”
The penalty call, however, sparked debate among players and fans alike. Christie expressed his frustration regarding what he perceived as inconsistencies in officiating decisions, noting, “I thought it was a harsh call. His hand was high, but he was so close to the ball. We faced a similar situation last week against Ipswich, and we were not awarded a penalty.”
He admitted that while it was disappointing not to have taken all three points, securing a draw was a positive outcome after showing dominance throughout the match.
Bournemouth’s ability to fight back late in games has become a defining characteristic this season, as they have earned nine points from trailing positions, only behind Aston Villa and Manchester City in this statistic.
Following this match, Bournemouth rose to sixth in the league standings, trailing Manchester City by just two points, while West Ham found themselves in 14th place.
