Cherries Stage Dramatic Comeback to Denish Hammers
Bournemouth produced a stunning second-half fightback to snatch a 2-2 draw against West Ham United at the Vitality Stadium, with substitute Enes Unal scoring an emotional late equaliser moments after coming off the bench.
Wilson Haunts Former Club with First-Half Brace
The match appeared to be going entirely West Ham's way during the first half, largely thanks to former Bournemouth striker Callum Wilson. The 33-year-old, making his first appearance at his old ground since leaving for Newcastle in 2020, opened the scoring after just 11 minutes. Wilson controlled a long clearance from goalkeeper Alphonse Areola on his chest before firing a low shot from the edge of the box that Bournemouth's keeper Djordje Petrovic couldn't keep out.
Wilson doubled West Ham's lead and marked his return in spectacular fashion ten minutes before half-time. Following a deep free-kick from Freddie Potts that was helped on by Jarrod Bowen and Jean-Clair Todibo, Wilson swivelled and crashed a volley high into the net. The striker, who scored 67 goals during his six-year spell with the Cherries, received warm applause from all sides of the ground when substituted early in the second half.
Bournemouth's Second-Half Resurgence
The momentum of the game shifted dramatically after Wilson's departure. Bournemouth, who had dominated the early stages before West Ham's opener, began to threaten consistently. Areola was forced into action, saving from Ryan Christie, while Evanilson lifted his shot over the crossbar.
The Cherries were thrown a crucial lifeline after 67 minutes when Max Kilman's trailing arm caught the ball while sliding in to dispossess Evanilson. Marcus Tavernier stepped up and lashed the resulting penalty home to make it 2-1.
Bournemouth should have equalised soon after when Tavernier's low cross found Eli Junior Kroupi at the far post, but Areola produced a fine save with an outstretched glove. However, the equaliser arrived just moments later through an emotional moment for the home side.
Unal's Emotional Intervention
With nine minutes remaining, Enes Unal – who had just climbed off the bench – wrote the headline of the match. The Turkish forward, making only his second substitute appearance after recovering from a second ACL injury, received a threaded pass from Marcos Senesi through West Ham's defence. Unal turned and fired home to level the scores, with his visible emotion during celebration highlighting the significance of the moment after his injury struggles.
Bournemouth could have won it at the death when Areola parried Evanilson's shot, but Tavernier blazed the rebound over the crossbar with the goal at his mercy. The Cherries were without Antoine Semenyo due to an ankle sprain picked up on international duty with Ghana.
The draw denied West Ham a first away win under manager Nuno Espirito Santo, while Bournemouth demonstrated impressive character to recover from a two-goal deficit in front of their home supporters.
