Match Report
Bournemouth (0) 3-1 (0) Fulham
Premier League Match Day 07 25_26 at Vitality Stadium
Friday 3rd October 2025, KO: 20:00
Referee:
Simon Hooper (Wiltshire)
Live on Sky Sports
|
The conditions of Storm Amy matched the sodden expressions of the Fulham players at full-time, as we saw three points turn to zero at Vitality Stadium on Friday night.
After a lowkey first half, things ramped up after the restart, and we took the lead through Ryan Sessegnon’s maiden goal of the campaign, after he was found by an excellent Samuel Chukwueze pass.
But two wonder strikes in quick succession turned the game on its head, with Antoine Semenyo’s solo effort followed up by a thunderbolt from Justin Kluivert, before Semenyo added another on the counter at the death as the Whites pushed for an equaliser.
Raúl Jiménez did not make the trip following his injury picked up at Villa Park a week earlier. Issa Diop came in for the Mexican which meant a change of shape with a back five, and Josh King operating as the more central option in a fluid front three that also featured Harry Wilson and Alex Iwobi.
Bournemouth started brightly and were zipping the ball about in the rain confidently. They duly had the first chance of the game 10 minutes in, though it came from a poor Fulham pass rather than slick attacking, with Tyler Adams intercepting and drilling in a low effort from 20 yards that Bernd Leno got down well to.
| Match Stats |
Bournemouth |
Fulham |
| Goals |
(0) 3 |
1 (0) |
|
| Scorers |
Semenyo 78 |
Sessegnon 70 |
| |
Kluivert 84 |
- |
| |
Semenyo 96 |
- |
| , |
| Goal attempts |
11 |
12 |
| On target |
6 |
4 |
| Shooting Accuracy |
55% |
33% |
| Possession |
53% |
47% |
| Passes |
536 |
473 |
| Passes Success |
86% |
81% |
| Crosses |
25 |
17 |
| Crosses Success |
4% |
18% |
| Corners |
4 |
3 |
| Tackles |
10 |
11 |
| Tackles Success |
70% |
82% |
| Saves |
3 |
3 |
| Fouls |
8 |
10 |
| Offsides |
2 |
2 |
| Yellows |
0 |
1 |
| Reds |
0 |
0 |
| source: SkySports |
Wilson then had the chance to slip Iwobi through after a turnover of possession in our favour, but Dorde Petrovic’s high line served him well as the goalkeeper was able to come out to sweep away the danger.
For the second week in a row, the Whites suffered an early injury blow. This time Saša Lukic was the victim, with Tom Cairney coming on in his stead.
Midway through the half, our boys in green won a corner after some intricate play down the left. Bournemouth failed to properly clear Wilson’s delivery and it dropped to Cairney outside the box, but his rasping strike flew a yard over.
Fulham had grown into proceedings and a one-two between Cairney and Wilson ended with the former controlling the ball in the box, before unfortunately slipping on the wet surface and fouling his man rather than connecting with a shot.
Despite us having the better of the last 20 minutes, the Cherries were not without their threat, which was well demonstrated just before the break when top scorer Semenyo worked a yard of space and smashed in an effort that Leno parried well.
Our first shot on target then arrived in stoppage time, but Iwobi’s side-footer lacked power and was routine for Petrovic.
Bournemouth fans thought their team had taken the lead seven minutes into the second half when the ball dropped to Evanilson after Leno had punched a corner away from under his bar in the swirling wind, but the striker had actually put his effort into the side-netting.
Those two did battle again moments later, with a wicked snapshot from the Brazilian drawing an excellent low stop from Leno.
At the other end, Timothy Castagne had a header blocked, Petrovic had to be at full stretch to push a fine Wilson swivel and volley away, and King smashed a long ranger over the bar.
That was a sign of things to come, with Sessegnon chipping in the opener not long after. The left-wing back started the move, driving forwards before playing a crisp one-two with substitute Chukwueze and dinking a lovely finish over the onrushing Petrovic.
Sadly the lead did not last long, with Semenyo gliding in from the left before slipping a low effort inside the near post from a very tight angle.
That was a very decent goal, but their next was even better, with Kluivert crashing a stunner under the bar from a good 25 yards out.
Fulham responded with a good run from Adama Traoré who had just been introduced. He bullied his way to the byline and cut the ball back to Cairney, who rifled a firm strike just off target.
The skipper was proving to be our main goal threat and went close twice in stoppage time. First he sent a brilliantly hit effort from the edge of the box a matter of inches wide, before Bafode Diakite blocked his close range shot.
The corner won there looked to be our final chance to equalise, but instead Bournemouth were able to nick possession and wrap things up through Semenyo again at the end of a rapid counter attack.
Fulham boss Marco Silva:speaking to Sky Sports:
"Very tough, very tough for us the way we lost it. We had problems for the first 10-15 minutes of the game. They started better than us, we had some difficulties to adjust.
"Of course, speaking with the players, we adjust some things there. We had some good moments to punish them more in offensive transition, counter-attack. We missed the last pass, last decision, but we arrived in dangerous areas.
"Second half, I think we started better and we started to control the game very well. We have longer possessions as well and the goal we scored is a good example of it.
"The game was completely under control is what I want to say at that moment. Completely under control, no chances at all from them and two individual moments decided the game really.
"It was two individual moments and football is like that sometimes. Tonight was a clear one. From a collective point of view, we didn't give anything for them. That is clear.
"Individual moments, when they come, we have to show, we have to step in and we have to show our quality. Tonight, two players from Bournemouth did it in a way that they decided they can.”
Bournemouth: Petrovic, (Jimenez 61), Diakite, Senesi (Gannon-Doak 78), Truffert, Adams (Christie 78), Scott, Brooks (Milosavljevic 85), Tavernier (Kluivert 61), Semenyo, Evanilson
Unused substitutes: Cook, Adli, Kroupi, Dennise
Goals:
Semenyo 78 (right footed shot from a difficult angle on the left to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Adrien Truffert.)
Kluivert 84 (right footed shot from outside the box to the top left corner. Assisted by Antoine Semenyo.)
Semenyo 90+6 ( left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Ben Gannon-Doak following a fast break.)
Fulham: Leno, Diop (Smith Rowe 86), Andersen, Bassey, Castagne, Lukic (Cairney 14), Berge, Sessegnon, Wilson (Chukwueze 67), Iwobi (Traore 86), King (Kevin 67)
Unused substitutes: Cuenca, Kusi-Asare, Lecomte, Robinson
Goals:
Sessegnon 70 (left footed shot from the centre of the box to the high centre of the goal. Assisted by Samuel Chukwueze with a through ball.)
Yellow Card: Diop (f,76),
Referee:
Simon Hooper (Wiltshire)
Attendance: 11,165
Fulham are next in action at 17.30 on Saturday 18th October when they welcome Arsenal to Craven Cottage.