10-man Bournemouth fall 2-1 to Girona FC

Match Report

20 July 2019

Girona FC  2 v 1 AFCB 

Girona FC picture: Aké had plenty of heading to do in a 0-0 first half in Barcelona.

Bournemouth offered stiff resistance to a Girona FC side that had the advantage of 11 men against 10 for much of the second half. Jack Simpson was the unlucky man to be sent off for a foul on Gual, when he was the last man. When Marc Gual put the Catalans ahead with 10 minutes to go, it looked all over, but Ryan Fraser popped up with an equaliser a minute later. The lifeline was short lived though, as Girona scored again with Juanpe's header form a corner five minutes from time.

It was good to hear 'Sweet Caroline' from Neil Diamond being belted out at the Estadi Olumpi Luis Companys stadium before kick off. with Bournemouth somehow being the home team. AFCB were in their lime green third kit. There was no Josh King, Asmir Begovic, Harry Arter, Aaron Ramsdale, Steve Cook or Jefferson Lerma, while Simon Francis, Lewis Cook and Charlie Daniels are still recovering from long-term injuries.

The Cherries withstood some early pressure as Girona attached up the left a few times with Boselli have two shots blocked.

Solanke started well with some good touches. Adam Smith put in an early cross that was cleared and Rico won AFCB's first corner.

Valery fouled Adam Smith to give AFCB a free kick on 13 minutes. Smith hit the cross and Akee headed it over the bar. at the far post. AFCB were very possession conscious. Solanke won the ball well to find Smith and he passed to Gosling, before Wilson moved the ball to the left with Dobre who had AFCB's first shot on target that the keeper saved.

Travers had a shock when Travers hit the ball against Aké and almost saw the ball go into AFCB's net on 17 minutes. Dobre then won a corner off Valery. Meanwhile, Offobroh was hitting some accurate long passes.

Wilson put a ball straight through for Solanke on 21 minutes, but the former Liverpool striker could only hit his shot at the keeper's legs.

Soni hit a speculate shot from distance that Travers took easily. Wilson was leading the press for AFCB.

Dobre's cross from the left had Solanke reaching for a header but he couldn't get it going forward. Gosling lost out to Boselli and Boselli got a hot away that had Travers forced into making a low save to his left.

Adam Smith made another raid down the right trying to link up with Wilson. Kilkenny was being a bit too strong in his press. The game was really going through the motions. Bournemouth were not exactly hitting Girona with tremendous pace. Ofoborh was happy enough to drill a shot from 30 yards out that lifted just over the bar on 37 minutes.

Wilson was being held unfairly every time the ball came up to him. Wilson snuck in on 39 minutes and almost broke the deadlock, but was held off and had to be happy enough with a corner off Alcalá. Gosling then smashed a shot well over.

Dobre had a header that came off the bar from an Adam Smith cross, but the referee had called a foul. So it ended 0-0 at half-time.

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Second half
Offoborh was the only AFCB player to be retained from the first half. Fraser made a good early burst but Brooks couldn't reach his pass. Stacey then conceded a corner to Girona.

AFCB started more progressively this half with Brooks and Fraser pushing the team forward. Gual won another corner for Girona after Ofoborh blocked his shot on 50 minutes. Boruc caught the corner well.

Andzouan played Gual through, but the shot went wide for a corner. Soni who stayed on from the first half pulled out a good save from Boruc on 55 minutes when he was free in the box.

The commentator is talking about everything but the game which kind of tells you how unexciting the play is at times. Soni is starting to beat AFCB players and is causing some concern.

Brooks and Surridge aren't getting much chance to stretch their legs. Girona are taking control and Gaul hits a strong shot that Boruc saves in front of his chest on 61 minutes.

Girona had a four on two but a poor pass made it easy for AFCB to recover possession. A yellow card was given to Simpson after taking down Gual. Simpson was then given a second yellow and was sent off on 67 minutes, perhaps it was decent as he was arguing with the referee when the wall was being set up. If he was sent off for being the last man then it was a harsh call, although the referee did signal VAR was used, so Simpson is off.

Ibe comes forward with a forceful run and sins a corner off a deflected shot. At the other end Andzouana plays in, Gual but he hist the side netting,

Surman almost got Surridge in the clear, but his shot was blocked for a corner. Diamanka plays in Gual who hits a shot over again. Boruc is not too happy about a corner being awarded to Girona.

A pull back for Gual is sharply saved by Brouc at his near post. But now Girona have gone ahead. A mix up at the back and Gual has made it 1-0 to Girona on 80 minutes.

And just when you thought that meant a certain defeat for AFCB, Jordan Ibe races up the other end and plays in Ryan Fraser who makes it 1-1 on 81 minutes.

Girona are still pressing with crosses and a corner now. Paik takes the corner and Girona score with a header from Juanpe on 85 minutes.

Boruc has to make another save from Andzouana, which he does. Boruc makes another save from Gual after Andzouana made a pull back for Girona's number nine.

Summary
Bournemouth will be disappointed to lose the game but Girona FC attacked with more consistency and had it not been for Artur Boruc it could have been a bigger defeat. The Cherries struggled to create in the first half, but were stirred into action more in the second half after Jack Simpson was sent off. Eddie Howe will be most annoyed about AFCB's play leading up to the first Girona goal when the ball was lost on the right side. Ryan Fraser is again showing he has the finishing form to do well for another season, but Bournemouth still show little sign of being tighter at the back.

AFCB 4-4-2
Travers 42, Smith 15, Mepham 33, Aké 5, Rico 21,  Kilkenny 28, Ofoborh 38, Gosling (C) 4,
Dobre 54, Solanke 29, Wilson 13

AFCB second half 4-4-2
Boruc 1, Stacey 17, Simpson 25, Kelly 26 , Ibe 10, Surman 6, Butcher 36, Offoborh 38, Fraser 34, Brooks 20, Surridge 44,

AFCB unused Sub
Cordner

Player Ratings first half
Travers 5, Smith 7, Mepham 6, Aké 6, Rico 5,  Kilkenny 5, Ofoborh 8, Gosling (C) 5
Dobre 5, Solanke 6, Wilson 7

Player Ratings second half
Boruc 7, Stacey 6, Simpson 6, Kelly 6 , Ibe 6, Surman 5, Butcher 5, Offoborh 8, Fraser 7, Brooks 6, Surridge 6

Girona
Juan Carlos 1, Alcalá 2, Pau Resta 3,  Valery 5, Granell 6, Maffeo 4, Soni 27,
Eric Montes 14, Lago 11, Boselli 23, Pachón 21

Girona Second half
Suárez, Maxi Villa, Juanpe 15, Muniesa 20, Iago, Diamanka, Paik 17, Andzouana 26,
Boselli 23 (Sub 24), Marc Gual 9, Soni 27 (Sub 28).