Bournemouth 2-2 Sheffield United: Enes Unal scores stoppage-time leveller to deny Blades (2024)

Enes Unal scored an injury-time time leveller for Bournemouth to deny Sheffield United a rare away win as Chris Wilder's team threw away a 2-0 lead.

Wilder's side showed great spirit and togetherness following their embarrassing 6-0 defeat to Arsenal with goals from Gustavo Hamer and Jack Robinson putting them 2-0 up.

Bournemouth had earlier missed a penalty when Dominic Solanke slipped before shanking the ball over the crossbar and the striker also had an effort ruled out for handball.

But despite the setbacks, Andoni Iralola's team staged a late recovery with strikes from Dango Ouattara with 16 minutes to go and Unal, with his first goal for the club, in stoppage-time.

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A point does lift the Blades off the bottom of the Premier League ahead of Burnley's clash with West Ham on Sunday. Bournemouth remain in 13th.

How Bournemouth staged late recovery...

The Cherries were awarded a spot-kick with just 14 minutes played - just their second penalty of the season - after Tom Davies clumsily swept Solanke off his feet.

Solanke stepped up in search of his 15th Premier League goal of the season but lost his footing just as he was about to kick the ball and ballooned it over the crossbar off his standing left foot.

The visitors were playing smartly into their front two of Ben Brereton Diaz and Oli McBurnie and took the lead two minutes later courtesy of Hamer.

Jaydon Bogle strode free down the right and when his initial shot was beaten away by Neto the Blades midfielder was on hand to fire the rebound home.

McBurnie nodded straight at the home goalkeeper from a corner as Wilder's side caused Bournemouth constant problems.

After the break, Neto had to be on alert to push Oliver Arblaster's shot wide but it was the goalkeeper's mistake from the resulting corner that helped United double their lead in the 64th minute.

Neto punched the corner against Solanke's back, sending the ball kindly into the path of Robinson at the far post and the Blades captain fired home off the inside off the post, with the goal decision system showing it had crossed the line before the Bournemouth goalkeeper clawed it away.

Bournemouth thought they were back in the game moments later but the luckless Solanke's close-range effort was ruled out for a handball by the England international following a lengthy VAR review.

Shots started to reign down on the Blades goal from the onwards and the Cherries pulled a goal back 16 minutes from time when Ouattara was left totally unmarked to head in Ryan Christie's corner from four yards.

The pressure told in stoppage-time when Turkey international Unal rifled home at the far post to level what was a pulsating encounter.

Powers of recovery a positive sign for Bournemouth

Sky Sports' Lewis Jones:

"Drawing at home with Sheffield United doesn't look good, especially when the opposition have just become the first team in English football history to lose three straight home games by five or more goals. But Bournemouth can take a lot of encouragement forward based on their performance, especially when chasing the game at 2-0 down.

"Before this game, Andoni Iraola's team were the only side in the Premier League this season yet to take any points when behind at the break. They rallied with great tenacity and quality when tasked with the challenge. In total they posted a whopping 32 shots - the third most racked up by a team in a Premier League game this season. It might just be one win in their last nine Premier League games now but Iraola's Bournemouth remain an exciting prospect."

Wilder: We need consistency

Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder: "We've been too inconsistent and let people down too many times but we have produced the good at times. There were bodies everywhere at the end, we've had to make substitutions with the pace and power of the Premier League. There's a quarter of the season to go so we need to produce performances like that. We can't go from looking passive one week to having a go the next week - we need to find consistency."

Opta: Cherries show spirit

• Bournemouth avoided defeat in a Premier League game in which they trailed by 2+ goals for the first time since September 2022 (3-2 win v Nottingham Forest), ending a run of 20 straight defeats when going two or more goals down.
• Bournemouth had 32 shots in this match, their most ever in a single Premier League game. Their 12 shots on target today was their joint-most in a game in the top-flight (also 12 v Watford in January 2019).
• Sheffield United had nine shots on target in this match, their most on record in a single Premier League game (since 2006-07).

What's next?

Bournemouth's next game is in four days at home to Luton in the Premier League on Wednesday. Kick-off 7.30pm.

Sheffield United have a two-week break before their next fixture which is at home to Fulham on Saturday March 30. Kick-off 3pm.

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