Bournemouth break opening day hoodoo 2-0

Match Report

AFCB 2 v 0 Cardiff City

11 August 2018

Attendance 10,353

Getting wet: Diego Rico and Jefferson Lerma are welcomed at Dean Court.

Everyone wants to get off to a good start in a new season and that's something AFCB have failed to do while they have been in the Premier League. But taking on newly-promoted Cardiff City they set about the game with intensity and intent. The debut of David Brooks was as good a debut as any, and was perhaps only overshadowed by the finishing of Ryan Fraser who swept Bournemouth into a 1-0 lead on 23 minutes.

Callum Wilson was having one of those days where he was getting into great scoring positions and when he was brought down in the box, the home crowd expected him to make it 2-0. Neil Etheridge guessed the right way though and made the save - Wilson will have to take lessons from Paul Pogba! 

Begovic had little work to do but he did make a great low save to prevent Sean Morrison trying to snatch an equaliser in a goalmouth scramble in the second half. Then Simon Francis legs stretched to get behind the Cardiff back line and his pull back was met emphatically by Callum Wilson's low drive that found the corner of the net in added time.

No Simon Francis or Lewis Cook in the starting 11.

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Bournemouth played so well against Olympic Marseilles in the last match of the season that he kept the same starting 11 for this match. That meant Simon Francis and Lewis Cook were among the substitutes and the side was captained by Andrew Surman.

Cardiff City were expected to be physical as Neil Warnock sides are and within the first five minutes Lee Peltier was yellow carded for a foul on Ryan Fraser. Fraser would be the root problem for Cardiff all game. Bournemouth fans might have expected Callum Wilson to be the biggest danger to Neill Warnock's men, but as early as the 11th minute he shot wide from close range. That was the kind of day it looked like he would have as the first half moved on.

Cardiff's main danger came from Bobby Reid who was quick and full of running. Gosling was doing a lot of shepherding to steer Reid out wide and Reid's only support was coming from Junior Hoilett. Cardiff fans were taunting the Bournemouth crowd with chants of 'it's coming home' following the World Cup. That probably wasn't the wisest of moves with Scotland's Ryan Fraser and Norway's Josh King trying to get in on the act. Suddenly, Wilson found room on the right to put in a low cross and Fraser was there to beat Etheridge from close range and open the scoring on 23 minutes.  

Bournemouth fans heralded the goal with chants of 'England! England!' A bit ironic when you think Ryan Fraser is Scottish, but never mind. Bournemouth (England) were beating the Welsh (Cardiff).

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While Josh King had a shot fire wide on 28 minutes, Wilson was slipped through into the box by Daniels on 33 minutes. But he was brought down by Ecuele Manga, or was it Wilson making the most of the challenge? Bournemouth fans looked expectantly at the goal - penalty! But Wilson held his head in his hands as Etheridge guessed correctly to go to his left and he made the save. The penalty was not struck very hard.

David Brooks might have expected another penalty when he went down in the box, after Fraser's clever little chip, but Kevin Friend waved the protests against Bennett's challenge away.

Cardiff were not overawed and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing was close to getting on the end of a cross from Joe Ralls on 40 minutes.

The bookings were levelled up when Charlie Daniels saw yellow, rather belatedly, for a foul on Junior Hoilett. Luckily, Mendez-Laing could only put the header from the free kick wide.

Bournemouth are ahead.

Cardiff fans, Dylan and Simon give 

their pre-match views on the game.

Second half

Cardiff attempted to hang in the game and did well at denying space for the Cherries. Bournemouth won a few corners, but didn't get close to scoring until Fraser got behind the Cardiff defence and drilled the ball powerfully across the goal. David Brooks could only head the ball back from where it came, having no time to react to Fraser's cross.

Mendez-Laing was subbed on 63 minutes when new signing Josh Murphy came on. Paterson was also replaced by Danny Ward. The change almost messed up AFCB's concentration as Morrison might have scored following a corner but for a sharp save by Begovic.

David Brooks made way for Simon Francis on 67 minutes with Cardiff having their best part of the game. A chance fell to Bobby Reid following a free kick, but he hit it well over.

Wilson then made an excellent trap before turning and finding Gosling. Wilson then got into the box and rather than shoot tried to find King, which was unselfish but perhaps the wrong decision as the pass was blocked. Wilson then had a header from Fraser's free kick which he might have scored from but he barely made contact. 

It was better than Gosling's next effort though which landed on the roof of the North stand. Fraser would also volley wide in the last five minutes, before Steve Cook took a heavy knock to the head and was down for a couple of minutes before getting to his feet.

Cardiff had one more sub with Reid replaced by Gary Madine. There was five minutes of added time when Francis won a ball on the right wing and pulled it back for Wilson, who hit a first time shot that we were right in line with and saw hit the back of the net to make it 2-0. Wilson was delighted to have got his goal and the score was perhaps more of a true reflection of the day's events on the pitch. He was then subbed along with Adam Smith to let Defoe and Mousset see out the game. 

Eddie Howe welcomes three early points.

Summary 

Bournemouth didn't find it easy against a well-organised Cardiff City side. The difference was that Bournemouth had a cutting-edge and Ryan Fraser is becoming a midfielder with a taste for goals. Before the game kicked off, he was my pick for first goalscorer and I'm not surprised he found the spot to open his account for this season. While Wilson had not been as fortunate in front of goal until the end, he'll benefit from knowing he did score eventually. The penalty miss won't matter now and Eddie Howe will also be pleased with Begovic's second half save that was vital for the win. A clean sheet and three points is a great day and Bournemouth have the start needed against a team that many will consider they have to finish above to be out of the relegation battle. Cardiff will improve on this though and it's a difficult game that Eddie Howe will be pleased to have gotten out of the way.

The only bad thing about the day was some coin throwing at Ryan Fraser from Cardiff City fans!

AFCB Subs: Boruc, Mings, Francis, L Cook, Ibe, Defoe, Mousset

AFCB Ratings

Begovc 8, A Smith 7, S Cook 7, Aké 7, Daniels 7, Brooks 8, Gosling 7, Surman 6, Fraser 9, King 7, Wilson 7

Cherry Chimes' MoM: Ryan Fraser

Cardiff City
Etheridge, Peltier, Morrison, Ecuele Manga, Bennett, Bamba, Mendez-Laing (Murphy 63), Paterson (Ward 62), Ralls, Hoilett, Reid (Madine 88)

Cardiff City Subs
Richards, Ward, Murphy, Smithies, Cunningham, Camarasa, Madine

Ref Watch: Kevin Friend - 4/10 a few annoying calls on free kicks and advantage not being played, but at least he gave one penalty. David Brooks will be annoyed he didn't give two.