Reece James scores stoppage-time free-kick to rescue Chelsea a point
By Robert O'Connor, PA
Reece James scored a free-kick in the fifth minute of stoppage time to rescue a 2-2 draw for Chelsea at home to Bournemouth in the Premier League.
The home side looked beaten and could have had few complaints had Antoine Semenyo’s sensational strike midway through the second half turned out to have been the winner.
Chelsea had scored early through Cole Palmer but then true to recent form wasted enough chances to finish Bournemouth before half-time, with Nicolas Jackson striking the post at 1-0 and spurning two further golden opportunities.
Bournemouth levelled through Justin Kluivert’s penalty – Moises Caicedo at fault with a needless foul – then Semenyo crashed in the goal of his life to make it 2-1.
But up stepped James, on as substitute following yet another injury nightmare, to put the pain behind him and steal a point.
Chelsea led in the 13th minute when Jackson produced a conjuring trick in midfield to spirit his way free from a three-man Bournemouth trap and slip a pass through the middle for Palmer, who sent goalkeeper Mark Travers to ground with a devilish feint before stroking into the net.
Chelsea were playing with a creative spirit not seen enough during their recent barren run. Jadon Sancho drew a roar of admiration from home fans for an impudent nutmeg on Lewis Cook then Enzo Fernandez danced through Bournemouth’s defence before dragging inches wide.
Yet poor finishing is still an issue for Enzo Maresca’s young side. Jackson skied a simple chance over the bar from six yards, a bizarre, uncontrolled action that seemed to involve all four of the strikers limbs.
It heralded the start of a wild two-minute spell in which first Kluivert struck a post for Bournemouth following a careless pass by Robert Sanchez, then as Chelsea broke Jackson again came within inches, hitting the woodwork as the game threatened to turn, though it was impossible to say in which direction.
Travers parried a close-range header from Jackson who snatched at the rebound and found only the side-netting. That Chelsea were not further ahead will have been a matter of personal regret for the Senegal international as the teams departed for half-time.
Whatever fears Jackson might have nursed were realised five minutes after the restart. Semenyo was not in a prime position to shoot as the ball reached him inside the box, but Caicedo blundered into the challenge with unwarranted urgency and too little care. From the resulting penalty, Kluivert equalised with aplomb.
Bournemouth endured a nervous wait while referee Robert Jones reviewed pitchside what looked a clear pull of Marc Cucurella’s hair by David Brooks, who could count himself fortunate he was only shown a yellow card.
Chelsea might have pointed fingers for the goal that gave Bournemouth the lead. Young defender Josh Acheampong allowed Semenyo to beat him on the outside, Sanchez left room at his near post, but in truth neither player could have predicted what was to come as Semenyo’s hit slamming into the top corner as though shot from a cannon.
It looked like being decisive, until James’s intervention at the death.