On an evening when all eyes have been on the Champions League, the Premier League witnessed its greatest comeback win in additional than 20 years.
Away from the tv cameras and the drama in Madrid and Dortmund, Bournemouth and Luton performed out probably the most extraordinary Premier League matches of this or any current season.
Bournemouth gained 4-3, having been three targets down on the break.
Dominic Solanke’s beautiful flip and end began the comeback 5 minutes after half-time, and after Illia Zabarnyi bundled in a header for 2-3, Antoine Semenyo accomplished the comeback with a pair of highly effective finishes – the second with solely six minutes remaining.
“It is unreal,” Semenyo informed BBC Match of the Day. “It’s an achievement of mine simply taking part in within the Premier League so to get a profitable objective for the staff, I am buzzing.”
It meant Bournemouth grew to become solely the fifth staff in Premier League historical past to win a match wherein they trailed by three targets, and simply the third to take action in a recreation the place they have been 3-0 down at half-time.
The others to realize this feat have been Manchester United in beating Spurs 5-3 in September 2001 – within the recreation of Sir Alex Ferguson’s “lads, it is Tottenham” half-time staff speak – and Wolves v Leicester in October 2003.
In line with Semenyo, there was no Ferguson-esque pithy line from Bournemouth supervisor Andoni Iraola at half-time. The truth is he appeared to say little or no to his staff, because the Cherries have been out for the second half early – so early the truth is that it caught the ahead off guard.
“I used to be on the bike truly when everybody was operating out so I needed to scurry out shortly. It was as a result of we have been able to go and put a efficiency on for the followers and for ourselves.”
Semenyo mentioned Iraola “could be very calm and picked up”.
“He simply got here in and mentioned, ‘Look we’re going to need to go for it, go man for man and present some character’, and we did that,” he added.
‘Everybody began believing’
Extra importantly for Iraola’s facet than any Premier League report, this outcome absolutely confirms their standing as a high flight staff for an additional season.
Bournemouth, with 10 matches remaining, are 14 factors above the relegation zone – their factors complete places them nearer to the highest six than the underside three.
“Every little thing went for Luton within the first half, they have been actually medical, each time they arrived [in the box] they scored,” Iraola informed the BBC.
“We wanted one thing to occur early within the second half, the primary objective from Dom [Solanke] was key. Then everybody began believing, we stored placing up the strain and in the long run we got here again.
“We needed to get again taking part in as quickly as attainable. We ended the primary half feeling very unhealthy, they’d simply scored a 3rd objective. We modified some issues, made changes, modified some gamers.
“From there we attacked significantly better after which the targets got here from that time onwards.”
For Luton, this was one other heartbreaking story in a season the place they’ve gained the admiration of many impartial followers.
However now, with simply 10 matches remaining, they want considerably greater than goodwill and laborious luck.
‘I’ve obtained to take duty’
Japanese worldwide defender Daiki Hashioka signed for Luton in January and, making his maiden league begin right here, was given twisted blood by Solanke earlier than he scored Bournemouth’s first, and was too simply overwhelmed by Semenyo for the equaliser.
Luton missed a number of probabilities to clear a nook earlier than Zabarnyi’s objective, whereas the winner got here after they misplaced possession in their very own half.
These are the small battles and particular person moments which might be going in opposition to the Hatters. It’s in these battles that the struggle in opposition to relegation is gained or misplaced.
“In fact I’ve obtained to take duty,” Luton boss Rob Edwards informed the BBC.
“We went 3-0 up, then we gave them encouragement. They’ve good high quality, particularly in a single v one conditions, and we did not defend these moments effectively sufficient. Heaps for us to look again at and dissect.”
Luton have now scored in 16 consecutive high flight video games – a membership report – however are certainly one of solely two Premier League sides to not preserve an away clear sheet this season. Sheffield United are the others.
That duality was proven in a primary half wherein they produced some slick, reducing soccer to attain three targets – however nonetheless gave Bournemouth probabilities, with Luis Sinisterra denied twice by keeper Thomas Kaminski.
Bournemouth lastly made one thing of these probabilities within the second half, and the tide turned.
“We performed rather well however the warning indicators have been nonetheless there,” Edwards mentioned of their first half. “They’re a superb staff and there have been nonetheless some issues we have been sad with at half time.
“We gave them the encouragement, the group obtained up and we’ve got to defend these conditions lots higher.”
