December 31, (THEWILL) — A frantic opening half-hour at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday saw Chelsea and Bournemouth play out a 2-2 draw that featured all four goals.
Neither side could find a winner after the break, leaving both teams frustrated in their respective league campaigns.
The visitors took the lead in the sixth minute when David Brooks converted a rebound after Robert Sanchez had saved his initial effort.
Antoine Semenyo’s long throw had confused in the Chelsea penalty area before Brooks fired home.
The Bournemouth forward then conceded a penalty after bundling Estevao to the ground, and Cole Palmer stepped up to convert from the spot in the 15th minute.
Enzo Fernandez put the home side ahead eight minutes later, marking his 100th English Premier League appearance with a superb strike.
The midfielder collected Alejandro Garnacho’s pass before curling the ball into the top-right corner.
Chelsea’s lead lasted just four minutes as Justin Kluivert restored parity, scoring unmarked at the back post after Trevoh Chalobah flicked on another Semenyo throw.
The second half produced fewer chances, though Estevao forced former Chelsea goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic into action with a stinging drive just after the hour mark.
Fernandez missed a golden opportunity to win the match 13 minutes from time, curling his shot over the crossbar.
Bournemouth substitute Enes Unal also fired high in second-half stoppage time.
The draw extended both teams’ difficult runs of form and did little to help either side in their battles at opposite ends of the table.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
