Bournemouth fightback stuns Stoke as substitutes inspire Cherries

Posted Sunday, February 04, 2018 by PA

Substitutes Josh King and Lys Mousset struck second-half goals as in-form Bournemouth came from behind to inflict a first defeat on new Stoke boss Paul Lambert.

The struggling Potters looked on course to make it seven points from nine under Lambert’s charge when Xherdan Shaqiri headed them into a deserved early lead at the Vitality Stadium.

But Bournemouth battled back to score twice in the final quarter of the match and secure a 2-1 victory which extends their Premier League unbeaten run to a club record seven games and drops City back into the bottom three.

Bournemouth fightback stuns Stoke as substitutes inspire Cherries

Eddie Howe named an unchanged side but the Cherries did not begin like a team who had won so impressively at champions Chelsea in midweek.

They were given an early warning when a powerful drive from Stoke winger Shaqiri was blocked on the line by defender Steve Cook.

And the Switzerland international made them pay moments later, calmly heading in unmarked at the back post following a left-wing cross from debutant Badou Ndiaye.

The inclusion of Senegal international Ndiaye, a £14million arrival from Galatasaray, was one of three changes made by Lambert and he was excelling in the centre of midfield, although he did drag a shot wide after being played in by Peter Crouch.

Bournemouth were guilty of some sloppy play, however they went close to an equaliser when Potters defender Erik Pieters slid in to block Jordon Ibe’s goal-bound effort following fine link-up play between King and Junior Stanislas.

Stanislas then saw a stinging free-kick beaten away by City goalkeeper Jack Butland as the hosts went in behind at the break.

Stoke continued to look dangerous in the second period and Crouch was inches away from doubling their advantage in the 65th minute when he clipped the top of the crossbar with a header from a Shaqiri corner.

Potters forward Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting was then perhaps lucky to escape a red card for a lunge on Ryan Fraser which only produced a yellow from referee Paul Tierney.

Norway forward King, who had earlier been booked for an embarrassing dive while under pressure from Kurt Zouma, levelled the contest following a defensive mix-up with 20 minutes to go.

Centre-back Zouma collided with team-mate Joe Allen just inside Stoke’s 18-yard box and the ball broke kindly for King to stroke home his first goal since November.

Bournemouth’s first away win of the league campaign had come at Stoke back in October and they completed a double over their opponents by claiming the winner nine minutes later.

Winger Ibe swung over a free-kick from the right and Mousset, who replaced Stanislas in the 59th minute, climbed unmarked to nod home his first Premier League goal.