A REAL master class

Match Report

AFCB 0 v 6 Real Madrid

21 July 2013

Pre-season friendly exhibition match

Attendance 11,722

As exhibition matches go, I have to say the visit of Real Madrid to Dean Court was spectacular from start to finish. Even watching Renaldo in the warm up had us all drawling or was it simply spellbound. We couldn't the our eyes off Mardid's star player and he certainly new it. So how on earth were our beloved Cherries go to deal with the task set before them over 90 minutes?

Well I have to say for the first 20 or so minutes we were wondering if AFCB had the tools in its repair kit to cover every leaking whole in its defence as Real Madrid was finding it difficult to find the break through goal. In that opening period Bournemouth showed the Spanish team that they can play a bit too. The first few AFCb passes were heralded with some Ole's and I took some time out to double check the scoreboard which read Cherries 0 v 0 Real Madrid and I wondered how long that may last. After just four minutes we were glad that the flag had gone up for an impromptu handball from the famous number 7 in white before he almost cheekily tried to lob Flahavan with a back heel. A minute later he was shooting just over the top right of the bar - an early sighter.

To our delight though Fraser was showing his pace and tricky on the right wing and he crossed to Pitman who shot wide on five minutes. More worryingly, Pitman held his hamstring having made his run into the box.

Soon Modric and Khedira were industrially going about there work, while Macca and Arter started to chase their shadows. Harry did manage to catch up with 23 and when he caught Renaldo after 8 minutes there was a great cheer from the North stand. That seemed to get Madrid going with Renaldo having a shot saved by Flahavan. The breakaway saw Fraser flying down his wing again and the cross seemed to brush a Real Madrid defender's arm in the box, but nothing was to be given. Meanwhile, at the other end, Tommy Elphick was already making the first of many goal saving tackles and blocks.

Mohamed Coulibaly impressed for AFCB winning man of the match.

On Bournemouth's left wing Coulibaly, the new signing was having a great home debut with some good touches and powerful runs. Pitman got himself into a goal scoring position on 15 minutes but dinked it wide, much to his annoyance. Arter was trying to spread play with some short and then long passes but he was not always finding Francis.

Real Madrid were starting to zip the ball about now with Xavi Alonso, Ozil and Modric the chief assassins. They teased and prodded in front of the Cherries box with Ronaldo ready to pounce on any mistake. Such a slip up happened on 21 minutes when Arter fouled Khedira in Renaldo's shooting range. Everyone was glued to see if it would be a trademark Renaldo strike and sure enough, the ball was soon nestling in the Cherries' goal, with Darryl Flahavan looking completely flummoxed at Renaldo's wizardry .  

With Real Madrid 0:1 up there was no slowing in the pace of the game. But Pitman suddenly went down near the half way line, knowing that his leg had said "that's enough". That was the signal for a sub and Elliott Ward came on to replace him with Cook shuffling up to midfield.

Modric managed to get a sight of goal bu Flahavan saved well on 29 minutes. Ozil also was going at the Cherries back line but MacDonald managed to stop him on 33 minutes. Even the small figure of Fraser was valiantly going in making tackles. Macca also made a big tackle on Renaldo in the 39th minute when he had burst into the box.

The pressure was relieved when Coulibaly had a shot from the edge of the area on 39 minutes that looked goal bound, but Diego Lopez made the save low down to his left. Just moments later though and the score read 0:2. That Christiano Renaldo was at it again to slip another shot past Flahavan. Madrid then quickly won a corner and while we watched the 12 Madrid subs warm up in front of us, Khedeira made it 0:3. I was starting to worry. Thank goodness it was half time.

The second half saw Real Madrid swap most of its team. It was a shame to see Renaldo go off but, let's face it, he had done enough damage. What is more he was ably replaced by Kaka. It wasn't long before the shots started reigning in on the Cherries goal again. A swift move involving Higuaine saw them open up the middle of AFCB's defence in the 46th minute to put the visitors 4 up. Kaka was pulling the strings with some fabulous defence-splitting passes and Flahavan was forced into another save on 54  minutes.

While Daniels sped up his wing and beat several players there was always another white shirt ready to stop him getting too far. On 56 minutes another heart stopping moment arrived when Kaka stood on the edge of the D ready to take aim and fired his shot against the cross bar!  A shot also went wide from No 22 a moment later. Arter started to run back and cut out a few of the moves in our box, but the tide was one way now with AFCB having resorted to just one up front since Pitman's injury.  

Richard Hughes came on  to replace Cook on the hour. Flahavan came out to make another save at the feet of Madrid's No 20, Huguaine, who was getting quite rattled.

Eddie Howe then made more changes with Grabban and Coulibaly being replaced by Harte and Chiedozie on 66 minutes. Madrid replaced Nacho and Benzema. The game was still as intense as it had been in the first 20 minutes. Real Madrid were not going easy on AFCB and just to prove a point Di Maria made it 0:5 on 68 minutes having cut in from the right and blasted the ball into the bottom corner.

Shortly after, Tommy Elphick and Fraser were replaced with Addison and Matthews as the Cherries gave more players a run out against the world's elite. Daniels was still looking to make his usual runs and a Cherries corner was won on 77 minutes, but even our neat passing had no cutting-edge against such a good defence.

The showpiece came to an end in rather spectacular style as Casemiro ran and played a wonderful one two before putting a great finish past Flahavan, which Casemiro was clearly delighted with - 0:6. While the Cherries bought on more subs in Jalal, Thomas, Stockley Wakefield and Purches on 83 minutes they at least prevented any further goals. 

What a great night. I am sure the AFCB players will have enjoyed it immensely even if they did not get on the score sheet. As a spectator it was a fabulous game to watch and I am sure the AFCB players will now know what it is like to be at the very top of this brilliant game.

AFCB
Flahavan, Francis, Cook, Elphick, Daniels, Fraser, Arter, MacDonald, Coulibaly, Pitman, Grabban

See full match day gallery pictures on the Match Day Gallery Tab.