Bournemouth 1 Crystal Palace 0: Justin Kluivert’s late strike means Eagles’ horror away form continues
BOURNEMOUTH substitute Justin Kluivert heaped more misery on Crystal Palace in front of the club’s Golden Knight.
American owner Bill Foley was in town to congratulate Andoni Iraola’s Cherries for saving their Premier League skins in record-breaking time.
And Foley, owner of the reigning National Hockey League champs Vegas Golden Knights, enjoyed a pucker night as well.
Dutchman Kluivert netted the winner 11 minutes from time after being set-up by another sub Antoine Semenyo.
But Palace’s miserable time on the road continues as they remain nervously looking over their shoulders at the relegation zone.
The Londoners have not won away in the league for 10 matches now and are just eight points above third bottom Luton.
Iraola made five changes to the Cherries team gifted victory by Everton’s Seamus Coleman on Saturday with that comical stoppage-time own-goal.
That result all but rubber-stamped Bournemouth’s place at the top table next season after taking 10 games to claim their first league win under the Spanish head coach.
But the Londoners are still looking over their shoulders thanks to a dismal record on the road this campaign having failed to win any of their 10 away games.
Palace boss Oliver Glasner surprised the hosts by playing former Cherries midfield strong man Jefferson Lerma in defence.
And Lewis Cook’s corner put the visiting defence under severe pressure forcing Jean-Philippe Mateta to head Dango Ouattara’s 20th minute header off the line.
Mateta, looking to score for the third match in a row, was soon back in action at the other end turning smartly before forcing a save out of Cherries goalkeeper Neto.
Phillip Billing then made a strong run at the Palace backline before shooting wide after taking a return pass from Ouattara.
But Palace squandered a superb opportunity to go ahead on 31 minutes when Adam Smith lost possession to Eberechi Eze.
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Eze in a two-against-one situation failed to pass to the unmarked Mateta and allowed Illia Zabarnyi to rob him of the ball.
Billing did his best to liven up proceedings in the swirling rain with a 30-yard free-kick which Palace stopper Dean Henderson did well to keep out.
And the England star had to be at his very acrobatic best on 37 minutes when he somehow tipped Solanke’s bullet header from Smith’s cross over the bar.
The home side then missed another good chance when defender Lloyd Kelly headed Billing’s corner wide of the back post.
Eze thought he had put Palace ahead in first-half stoppage-time but his effort was ruled out by VAR who spotted Mateta was six inches offside in the build-up.
Bournemouth sub Milos Kerkez came close to scoring with his first kick just after the hour but his long-range effort was turned away by Henderson to Solanke who fired wide.
But the home team’s Knight in shining armour was all smiles when Semenyo shrugged aside Palace sub David Ozoh’s challenge and laid the ball on for Kluivert to notch the winner.