Bournemouth 1 (Evanilson 30) Wolves 1 (Cunha 60)
Wolves were cruelly knocked out of the Emirates FA Cup at AFC Bournemouth on Saturday, after 120 minutes which included the best and worse of Matheus Cunha, before the Cherries progressed to the quarter-finals after a shootout win.
The Vitality Stadium cup tie had it all. Bournemouth led at the break after Evanilson tapped home a loose ball, but a stunning strike from Cunha 25 yards from goal brought Wolves level, and a whole-hearted, committed performance took the tie into extra time.
However, minutes before penalties, a moment of madness saw Cunha receive a straight red card for a clash with Milos Kerkez. After the Old Gold converted their first four penalties Matt Doherty passed up the opportunity to win it and Boubcar Traore’s miss was costly, as Luis Sinisterra converted the crucial kick for the Cherries.
Looking to make amends for their Premier League loss the previous week, Bournemouth started the better and Marcus Tavernier fired over from the edge and Antoine Semenyo was denied by a sliding Toti challenge, with Wolves making their own problems at times.
The Old Gold did settle however, and after Pablo Sarabia’s shot was deflected wide, a training ground routine almost brought the first goal. Cunha picked out Jean-Ricner Bellegarde, who’d peeled away to the penalty spot, and he connected well, but the ball cannoned off Nasser Djiga, on his full debut, and out for a goal kick.
Rayan Ait-Nouri was then denied by Kepa Arrizabalaga and Santiago Bueno flicked Pablo Sarabia’s cross wise, before Wolves fell behind. Semenyo plucking the ball out of the air caught out both Toti and Sam Johnstone, who made a good save initially, but was out of his goal as Evanilson knocked the rebound over the line.
The Cherries then thought they’d made it two on 35, only for VAR to intervene. Between them, Kerkez and Dean Huijsen bundled the ball over the line, but after a failure from the semi-automated offside system, making its debut, the Vitality Stadium was left in a state of confusion. After a long delay, traditional VAR ruled Huijsen offside and the score remained at one.
Half-time | Bournemouth 1-0 Wolves
After the interval, Bournemouth went in search of the second to kill the game, but instead it was Wolves who found the equaliser. When Cunha picked up the ball from Santiago Bueno 25 yards from goal there was little on, so he unleashed an effort with power, swerve and precision, which flew past the helpless Arrizabalaga and into the top corner. Stunning from the Brazilian.
The Cherries tried to respond when Huijsen headed over Marcus Tavernier’s free-kick, while both Djiga and substitute Marshall Munetsi had half chances at the other end.
Right at the end of the 90 Bournemouth thought they’d nicked it when Antoine Semenyo’s effort from distance fizzed just over the bar.
Full-time | Bournemouth 1-1 Wolves
Much of the extra time possession belonged to the home side, but what Wolves lacked with the ball, they made up for it with commitment to the cause. Tired bodies stuck to the task, as Tavernier and Semenyo both misfired from distance, while Tyler Adams fizzed an effort just wide.
The second 15 of extra time was one-way traffic and Johnstone came to the fore. First, he saved at close range and Toti cleared off the line. Then, on 112 minutes the goalkeeper brilliantly turned over Luis Sinisterra’s header with a stunning one-handed stop.
The goalkeeper bettered that stop with two minutes left as well, beating away Lewis Cook’s header, with the Cherries skipper looking certain to score.
Then came the game’s final, but most dramatic flashpoint. There looked little on during a late tangle between Cunha and Kerkez, both tired after 120 minutes, but the red mist came over Wolves’ goal scorer whose push and headbutt on the defender gave the referee no option but to show him the red card.
Wolves held on during four additional minutes with ten men, ensuring their efforts would earn them a penalty shootout. However, heartbreak ensued.
Full-time extra time | Bournemouth 1-1 Wolves
Jorgen Strand Larsen, Andre, Ait-Nouri and Toti were all on point from the spot. So, when Johnstone saved from Huijsen, Matt Doherty had the opportunity to win it for his side. The Irishman dragged is penalty wide however, and when Boubacar Traore struck the crossbar, the momentum swung back the way of the home side. Sinisterra converted from the spot meaning Bournemouth progressed to the quarte final.
Full-time | Bournemouth 1-1 Wolves (5-4 Bournemouth on pens)
Bournemouth | Arrizabalaga, Cook, Hill, Huijsen, Kerkez, Adams, Tavernier, Scott (Sinisterra 84), Brooks (Kluivert 67), Semenyo (Jebbison 106), Evanilson (Ouattara 67).
Unused subs | Dennis, Soler, Silcott-Duberry, Akinmboni, Winterburn.
Wolves | Johnstone, Semedo (Doherty 72), Djiga (Troare 86), Bueno, Toti, Ait-Nouri, J Gomes (Andre 72), Bellegarde (Pond 91), Sarabia (Munetsi 72), Cunha, Strand Larsen.
Unused subs | Bentley, Lima, Doyle, Hwang.
