Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola has heaped praise on striker Enes Unal after the Turkish international marked his long-awaited return from a serious knee injury with a crucial goal against West Ham United.
Unal's Triumphant Return
The dramatic 2-2 Premier League draw at the Vitality Stadium saw Unal make only his second substitute appearance since recovering from his second ACL injury, which he suffered in January. The 28-year-old forward had been sidelined for ten months, but needed just sixty seconds on the pitch to make a decisive impact.
Coming off the bench, Unal produced a superb turn and shot to lash in Bournemouth's equaliser, securing a valuable point for the Cherries. His goal came after a gruelling rehabilitation process that manager Iraola described as "ten months fighting almost alone, with the physios."
"Everyone is so happy and so pleased when these things happen," an emotional Iraola told reporters after the match. "You have been through difficult moments with a small pain, with the knee swelling and you start and then you have to stop. Also, as it's a second ACL in the same knee, it's a process he knows very well."
Match Analysis: Cherries Fight Back
The match had begun poorly for the home side, with former Bournemouth striker Callum Wilson scoring twice in the first half on his first return to the club since joining Newcastle in 2020. West Ham appeared comfortable with their 2-0 lead until the game turned dramatically after half-time.
Bournemouth were thrown a lifeline when West Ham defender Max Kilman handled the ball while sliding to challenge Evanilson. Iraola insisted Kilman should have been sent off, but had to settle for a penalty, which Marcus Tavernier confidently converted to reduce the deficit.
The stage was then set for Unal's heroic introduction. After scoring the equaliser, the Turkish striker even had a chance to win the game, while Tavernier later lifted another glorious opportunity over the crossbar in the dying moments.
Manager Reactions and League Implications
Despite the comeback, Iraola expressed frustration that his team only secured a point. "I think we've been much better than West Ham," he asserted. "Even in the first half we conceded two goals, but we were not worse than West Ham. In the second half we've been miles better than West Ham and we had so many chances that for us it's a bad point."
For West Ham, the result extends their unbeaten run to three matches and lifts them out of the relegation zone, though manager Nuno Espirito Santo is still seeking his first away win.
"We managed to achieve a barrier at the London Stadium, we achieved a win. Now let's try to improve our away form," Nuno commented. "Today was a good chance. You can look, OK, it slipped away from our hands. But I'm positive because the effort of the players was there."
The result provides Bournemouth with a significant boost as they recover important offensive players, with Unal's return offering particular encouragement for the challenges ahead in the Premier League season.
