Lazio come out on top 3-4 in Dean Court thriller

Match Report

AFCB 3 V 4 Lazio

2 August 2019

Dean Court was the venue for a night against Lazio.

The game started in a fairly relaxing manner. Lazio took a lead with a quick move up the left side after a corner and Travers was disappointed not to make the save. Jefferson Lerma levelled things up with a well taken shot from the edge of the box before Solanke stole in to make it 2-1 before half-time. While VAR was tested with a Lazio goal ruled out, Bournemouth had shown some encouraging moments. Yet, within 10 minutes of the restart, AFCB were 2-3 down after goals from Alberto and Parolo. Correa then made it 2-4 with 15 minutes to go. Jack Stacey pulled back a consolation goal with eight minutes to go, but Bournemouth had been beaten.

Bournemouth enjoyed getting the feel of the ball in the first few minutes and kept possession comfortably until Surman gave away a free kick on half way. A poor goalkeeper clearance against Vavro almost provided the first goal bit rebounded out for a corner.

Ryan Fraser tried a shot from just outside the box, but it was easily gathered. Lerma played a great ball through to Ibe on eight minutes and the winger headed for goal, but just put his shot across the keeper and narrowly past the far left post.

Lazio has a goal by Lulic ruled out on nine minutes for offside after a cross ball from Badeli. Solanke almost broke free centrally in the box, but had his shot blocked moments later.

Correa went down injured after a challenge by Simpson, but was okay. Ibe gave the ball away in a promising position and Lazio were starting to make interceptions more easily.

Lazio won their first corner on 14 minutes. Just afterwards Lazio scored with good play between Lulic, Immobile and Correa who beat Travers at the bottom of his right post from a tight angle.

Ibe held up the ball for Stacey, who put a cross come shop across the box. A poor goal kick from Lazio was grasped by Surman and passed to Lerma, through the middle, who powered a shot into the bottom left corner on 20 minutes to make it 1-1.

Travers had to save well from Immobile, who ran in behind on 22 minutes. Surman was making some good interceptions in the middle. Fraser was making runs but wasn't finding team-mates. Ibe won a free kick wide on the right on 25 minutes. Fraser crossed it and Simpson headed down but straight at the keeper.

Ibe was battling well and drawing fouls. Zemura gave Travers a hand warmer from 20 yards which Bournemouth's keeper kept out well. Ibe was causing problems with a quick run and chipping to the far post. From the corner the ball was knocked across by Fraser and Solanke came in to head in at the far post to make it 2-1 on 30 minutes.

Fraser took a knock and was receiving attention. Travers again gets his hands up well to push away a shot from Correa from the edge of the box. A ball over the top has Bournemouth in trouble, Immobile gets onto it from Parola, battling with Simpson, and slips past Butcher to make it 2-2 on 34 minutes. However, Parola is said to have handled and VAR has ruled the goal out. So, it's still 2-1.

Immobile is through again and Travers saves well to put it out for a corner. AFCB are susceptible to the ball over the top. Play is held up for a VAR check. Corner to Lazio, but it's cleared.

Travers is lively again to pounce on a through ball. Simpson defends well in the middle of his box. It ended 2-1 at half-time.

Advertisement

Coastal Garden Buildings

Second half
AFCB substitute Travers for Begovic in goal. Bournemouth make a mess at the back Jack Stacy played it right across goal and Alberto intercepts to make it 2-2 on 48 minutes.

Ibe waltzes past Lazio players and picks out Stacey, who can only head it back at an offside Ibe. Daniels makes a strong overlap outside Fraser.

Begovic gets down well to a snap shot from Lazzari coming off the flank. Radu crosses from a quick throw on the left and Parolo runs in between Simpson and Daniels to make it 2-3. Begovic had little chance.

Ibe overruns it and Vavro sweeps up. Lazio are well in control of the game. Immobile has a shot blocked. A ball in behind to Lazzari, but it's blasted over by Lulic.

Lerma loses the ball in front of his own box, but a Lazio shot is blocked. AFCB make a sub and Surman is off and Dobre replaces him on 66 minutes. Butcher clumsily takes Immobile out on the box and it could be a VAR decision, no penalty.

Lazio makes some subs, Gabarron is on for Radu. Mepham has to get across to keep out Acerbi. Correa in the box, turns well and beats Begovic in the bottom corner on 75 minutes. None of the defenders got close enough and it's 2-4. Simpson really should have got the ball away.

Lazio bring on two more subs, Rodrigues is on and Adekanye, while Surridge replaces Butcher. Bournemouth are making more changes as Daniels is going off an Corey Jordan replaces him. Lazio are taking Alberton off and on comes Poulio.

Beovic stops the ball over the top on the edge of his box. Ibe powers down the right and pulls it back for Jack Stacey who hits the top left corner to make it 3-4.

Fraser wins a free kick on the corner to add more pressure. The header is over from Simpson.Lazio are back in control and Immobile shoots just over.

Summary
A tough game for the Cherries. Bournemouth found it difficult to dominate despite being ahead at half-time and Lazio were excellent in front of goal. Bournemouth perhaps gave possession away a bit too easily at times, but it was good to see Daniels get some 70 minutes and Surman showing he had plenty of energy. But the goal for Jack Stacey will also give him a bit of pleasure on his home debut. AFCB will have to do more work on trying to get nearer to obtaining clean sheets. This has to be Howe's major concern heading  into the new season, along with the injuries the team has been picking up - hopefully all came through the game okay in this one.

AFCB
42 Travers (Begovic 45), 33 Mepham, 36 Butcher (Surridge 76), 25 Simpson, 17 Stacey, 8 Lerma, 6 Surman (Dobre 66), 11 Daniels (Jordan), 10 Ibe, 24 Fraser, 9 Solanke

AFCB Subs
Begovic 27, Dennis 40, Jordan 55, Sherring 38, Zemura 29, Ofoborh, Dobre 54, Surridge 44

AFCB Ratings
Travers 7 (Begovic 4), Mepham 6, 36 Butcher  5 (Surridge 5), Simpson 6, Stacey 7, Lerma 8,  Surman 6 (Dobre 5), Daniels 6 (Jordan 5), Ibe 7, Fraser 7, Solanke 7

Lazio
1 Strakosha, 93 Vavro, 33 Acerbi, 26 Radu (Gabarron 70), 29 Lazzari, 16 Parolo, 8 Badeli, 10 Luis Alberto, (Poulio 80), 19 Lulic (Rodriguez 76), 11 Correa (Adekanye 75), 17 Immobile

Lazio Subs
23 Guerrieri, 71 Alia, 3 Ramos, 4 Gabarron, 13 Fortuna, 22 Rodriguez, 28 Poulio, 32 Cataldi, 34 Adekanye

Top international quality for Cherries to face

Lazio are AFCB's opponents on Friday night. The Italian team finished eighth last season just seven points off the European places in Serie A. They scored 56 goals in 38 games and won 17 matches. Their record is certainly above that of the Cherries, and it will be a tough challenge to win the game, which is just what Eddie Howe wants.

AFCB have a double-header this weekend.

A good signing Lazio made this summer was from Liverpool. They signed Habeeb Omobolaji Adekanye, who is a Nigerian striker and has played for the Netherlands U21. Frustrated by a lack of opportunities under Jurgen Klopp, Habeeb decided to join the Italians and could be one of their main goal threats against AFCB.

Another signing for Lazio in July was Denis Vavro, who is a Slovakian centre-back who signed from Copenhagen FC. He is expected to be joined by Gustavo Cipriano this week who is a Brazilian defender from Santos FC.

If the new players aren't so well known the manager certainly is - Simone Inzaghi. Surprisingly, he only played three times for his country at senior level, one game including scoring against England, but is known for his long period as a striker at Lazio between 1999-2010.

Having played under managers like Dino Zoff and Giovanni Trapattoni Inzaghi will have plenty of tricks to take on Eddie Howe having been head coach at Lazio since 2016.

Online-Bookies.org.uk

Olympic Lyons
The names at Olympique Lyons may be a little better known, certainly to me. AFCB take them on on Saturday and this is the big pre-season test for the Cherries as Lyons finished third in Ligue 1 last season scoring 70 goals.

Among their squad are players that have been in the Premier League such as Memphis Depay, who played two seasons at Man Utd and Moussa Dembele (not the Spurs player) who has played for Fulham and Celtic. Bertrand Traore also played a few games for Chelsea in 2015-16.

At the back they also have Marcelo the Brazilian defender who was previously at Real Madrid. He is known to be a flying wing back and will be a problem player with his raids into the Bournemouth half.

Lyons changed their manager this summer. The new man is Sylvinho who has played left-back for Arsenal, Barcelona and Man City but this is his first managerial appointment.

If AFCB can come out on top in both of these two games , they really will have had a fantastic pre-season.

In other news, Arnaut Danjuma has joined AFCB from Club Brugge. We should see him in one of this weekend's games.

Mental inconsistency hurt AFCB's season, says Howe

Listening to Eddie Howe in his post-match report after the defeat against Crystal Palace, he didn't sound like he was going to rip up the playing manual to find a better way for Bournemouth to win games. He didn't point towards more than a few signings to strengthen the team, but he sees that the players he has can do better with better mental preparation to iron out the inconsistencies we have seen this season.

Eddie Howe picks apart last season.

How much can you do to make sure your team is mentally strong? It's down to learning from the mistakes and that is what Eddie will plan to do over the summer. It is difficult to see how Bournemouth could have made a better start to the season and for whatever reason the confidence went when they came off that initial run. It was then a battle with injuries and getting points on the road.

Bournemouth took until the latter part of the season to find their comeback button and their full desire to achieve rather than feel that results were simply going against them. It is that mental weakness that Howe sees as a crucial challenge to overcome. Whether Bournemouth can do better, if they find they get a fast start next season, we will wait to see. But when the fixtures come out, the fans will look and see whether the games point towards starting high or low in the league next season. 

Online-Bookies.org.uk

If Bournemouth had romped away to a big win against Crystal Palace, some of the weaknesses of the team might have been looked over. But now we all know that Bournemouth need to find more if they are to finish higher in this league. But by blooding younger players this season, it may be that AFCB are already preparing better for the future.

In other news, AFCB organise pre-season friendly with Lazio on Friday 2 August at 7.45pm.