Bournemouth Triumph in Dramatic Penalty Shootout
JOHN TARAS TAKES A LOOK AT WOLVES FA CUP EXIT TO BOURNEMOUTH
Team News: Wolves make five changes,
Johnstone, Semendo, Djiga, Bueno, Toti, Ait-Nouri, J Gomes, Bellegarde, Sarabia, Cunha, Larsen.
Wolves played superbly and won a week ago 1-0 but on Tuesday we were beaten at home by Fulham 2-1.
Today’s 5th round Cup tie will be concluded today with extra time and penalties if needed.
FIRST HALF
From kick off Bournemouth showed their intentions with a foul on Cunha after less than 60 seconds. Bournemouth’s increased tempo forced Johnstone into a rushed clearance which got charged down. Wolves struggled to get their goal kicks away with Bournemouth’s high press. Wolves gave Bournemouth far too much space on the ball.
The pattern of the game settled down as Bournemouth gave Wolves no time on the ball and if Wolves did break out Bournemouth fouled repeatedly without any punishment from the Referee. in comparison, Gomes went into the book for a nothing foul!
On 31 minutes Bournemouth scored a simple goal with a tap in by Evanilson after Johnstone parried a shot from the ever dangerous Semenyo.
Bournemouth thought they’d scored a second goal on 40 minutes but VAR was called upon. I thought Johnstone had been blocked on the line but VAR checked first for handball and then offside. It took eight minutes before the goal was disallowed. Both sets of fans were singing “it’s not football anymore!” Bournemouth had the ball in the net again but it was ruled out for either offside or handball? You didn’t know anymore!
The half finished with Wolves just one down.
SECOND HALF
The second half was more of Bournemouth pressing forward and Wolves repelling attack after attack.
Wolves struggled to get into the game until on 60 minutes a wonder goal from Cunha brought Wolves back all square. Larsen played a square pass to Cunha who was all of thirty yards out but he unleashed a thunderbolt into the top right hand corner giving Kepa no chance.
But Wolves struggled to get forward and the pattern of the first half with niggling fouls carried on.
Vitor made his first changes with the ineffective Sarabia replaced by Munetsi, Gomes who was on a yellow card was replaced by Andre and Semedo replaced by Doherty.
Huijsen who should have been booked in the first half scythed Cunha down and finally got booked. By rights it should have been his second yellow.
The Referee showed his colours with all the players he should have yellow carded he booked Ait-Nouri for not taking a throw in quick enough in the 85th minute!
On 86 minutes Traore came on for Djiga.
The game drifted towards Extra-time without Wolves threatening a second goal. Johnstone made two good saves to keep Bournemouth out and the 90 minutes were up.
Alfie Pond came on for Bellegarde at the start of extra time.
EXTRA TIME & PENALTIES
Extra-time was mainly one way traffic as Bournemouth hit Wolves with wave after wave of attacks.
Johnstone made two brilliant saves from headers just outside the six yard box. One was world class as he flew through the air to tip over a bullet header.
Wolves didn’t threaten the Kepa goal at all. On 119 minutes the game exploded with a red card for Wolves. Matheus Cunha when he lost his head and sent Kerkez to the ground. In mitigation Cunha had been fouled all game but it was no excuse. Wolves down to 10 men for the last three minutes.
No more goals even with Bournemouth pressing for the winner.
Penalties: Wolves took the first penalty as Bournemouth won the toss and chose to kick into their Fans. The first seven penalties were all scored. Dean Huijsen who should have been sent off for two yellows, missed the first penalty. So that made it 4 – 3 to Wolves. Next up for Wolves was acting captain Matt Doherty, all he had to do was score and Wolves were in the Quarter Finals. Sadly he dragged it two foot wide of the left hand post. Bournemouth levelled at 4-4. Next up was Boubacar Traore, he went for power but it struck the underside of the bar and stayed out.
Luis Sinisterra stepped up and scored to put Bournemouth into the Quarter Finals
