Resilient Everton Undone By Second Half Bournemouth Strikes

BOURNEMOUTH, United Kingdom- Two second-half Bournemouth goals sent Everton to defeat at the Vitality Stadium and left Marco Silva’s team 11th in the Premier League table ahead of next week's visit from Sheffield United.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s header on 44 minutes sent Everton into the break level after Callum Wilson had nodded Bournemouth in front.

Everton duly got on top of their hosts and remained there until midway through the second half.

That was when Ryan Fraser’s free-kick from the left travelled across the face of goal and lodged in the far corner.

Callum Wilson added his second five minutes later with a skilful finish lofted over Jordan Pickford.

Everton had played some good football to pass their way upfield before one such move produced Calvert-Lewin’s equaliser.

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Seamus Coleman received a pass from Morgan Schniederlin and duly sent Richarlison away down the right.

The Brazilian stood up his cross, inviting Calvert-Lewin to leap above Steve Cook and flash a header into the roof of the net.

The same two Everton players had nearly combined to telling effect on 17 minutes. Jack Stacey was making his Premier League debut for Bournemouth and the former Luton Town player learned very early about the limited amount of time he’ll have on the ball from now on.

Richarlison was all over Stacey, claiming possession and prodding through a pass for Calvert-Lewin, who was beaten to the punch by Aaron Ramsdale, racing from his line to smother.

Bournemouth goalkeeper Ramsdale had his gloves stung by Gylfi Sigurdsson on five minutes. Sigurdsson took the long route around Dominic Solanke and smashed an effort on the angle at the near post.

Ramsdale dealt with that strike in accomplished fashion but would have been utterly defeated had Richarlison’s blockbuster effort on 18 minutes been marginally more accurate.

The Everton player spun his marker after collecting a pass from Fabian Delph. Richarlison advanced one pace before crashing his right foot through the ball and sending a swerving shot, arcing away from Ramsdale but crunching the angle of post and bar.

Bournemouth, though, attack with some speed and imagination and they were creating opportunities of their own.

At either end of the opening half Joshua King cut in from the left to supply the advancing Philip Billing.

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Midfielder Billing sent his first effort after seven minutes scooting past Pickford’s right-hand post. Two minutes before the break, the former Huddersfield man dispatched a similar strike wide of goal in the same place – this time via a deflection.

It was an important moment because Everton were level within 60 seconds.
The reason they were behind in the first place was Callum Wilson.

Solanke flicked on Harry Wilson’s right-wing corner, King keeping play alive by hook or by crook at the far post.

The ball spooned up into the middle of the six-yard box where Wilson pounced to head home.

Michael Keane and Yerry Mina were both alert on various occasions to prevent Bournemouth’s midfield pairing of Billing and Lewis Cook connecting with the four mobile attackers in front of them.

When Solanke rifled on target after 22 minutes Pickford was equal to the task of saving – as he had been when Harry Wilson’s 13th-minute free-kick spat off the turf and into the Everton keeper’s clutches.

The industrious Calvert-Lewin doggedly worked an opening in the box not long before his equaliser but thrashed over with his left foot.

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One minute earlier Richarlison was wide at the near post following Digne’s cross from the left.

Ramsdale tipped over from Sigurdsson’s rising shot two minutes after half-time, the midfielder’s chance created by Lucas Digne after the Frenchman dispossessed Stacey and exchanged passes with Alex Iwobi.

Iwobi nearly had himself an assist after 65 minutes. The intervening period had been packed with fast and competitive football, incursions from both sides and a few meaty tackles.

But when Iwobi slid a pass down the side of Steve Cook it was the first time since the interval either team had been opened up.

Cook appeared to have matters under control but first appearances were deceptive.

Calvert-Lewin’s eyes lit up as the centre-half undercooked his back pass. Ramsdale, though, bailed out Cook by getting a touch on the ball as the striker tried to get his shot away.

Bournemouth re-established their lead on 67 minutes through Fraser’s free-kick following Richarlison’s trip on King.

Marco Silva responded by introducing Moise Kean and Bernard in place of Sigurdsson and Calvert-Lewin.

But the substitutes were only just on the field when Diego Rico’s hoik forwards released Callum Wilson to lift the ball beyond Pickford for the striker’s second goal.

Ramsdale parried Iwobi’s shot after Bernard’s original pass found Kean in the box. Richarlison was first to the rebound but pulled his effort wide of the far post.

The South American was replaced by Theo Walcott in manager Silva’s final throw of the dice.

Iwobi was thwarted by some last-ditch defending from Billing after Bernard's cross was wickedly deflected to the back post.

The ex-Arsenal player similarly had a dash into the box checked by a defensive body as Everton sought the goal to set up a grandstand finish.