Bournemouth need miracle after Southampton defeat

Bournemouth – Southampton: Saints won 2-0 to all but end the Cherries’ five-season stay in the Premier League.

Danny Ings’ strike in the first half set Southampton on their way as he also had a penalty kick saved as both goalkeepers stood on their heads. In the 95th minute Sam Surridge’s goal was chalked off by VAR as Callum Wilson was offside and in the 98th minute Che Adams made it 2-0 to seal a win for Saints which goes a long way to confirming relegation to the Championship for their South Coast neighbors.

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Bournemouth now sit three points from safety with one game to go, as Watford need a point from their final two games against Man City and Arsenal to relegated the Cherries. Bournemouth travel to Everton on the final day of the season and need to win.

BOURNEMOUTH – SOUTHAMPTON FULL REPLAY

With the win Southampton set a new club record for most points away from home in a top-flight season with 31, as they move into 11th place on 49 points.

Three things we learned

1. Brilliant Ings misses big chance for golden boot: Ings scored a beauty, had a penalty kick saved and went close two or three times. With one game to go he is two goals behind Jamie Vardy in the Golden Boot race and he will probably come up just short. Still, 21 Premier League goals for the season is an incredible achievement for the boyhood Saints fans who has six goals since the restart.

2. Bournemouth need a miracle: This was probably the end for Bournemouth in the Premier League. Watford need one more point to stay up, while the Cherries have to win at Everton on the final day of the season to give themselves any chance of remaining in the Premier League. Eddie Howe looked devastated at the final whistle and Bournemouth’s luck has just run out. This has been coming for some time.

3. Cherries lack of cutting edge the big surprise: Usually it is Bournemouth’s defending which lets them down but this season they have failed to create chances and that has been their downfall. So often free-flowing and full of goals, the Cherries fired another blank and the big story around their impending relegation is just how Howe’s side became so slack in attack.

Man of the Match

Aaron Ramsdale – It could have been either goalkeeper, as Alex McCarthy made a string of superb saves but Ramsdale was superb. He saved a penalty kick and denied Nathan Redmond twice, as Bournemouth’s young goalkeeper did all he could.

After a fast start for Saints, Bournemouth came into things with Sergio Rico whipping in a dangerous cross, Lloyd Kelly have a shot deflected just wide and Callum Wilson nodded over.

At the other end Aaron Ramsdale did well to deny the onrushing Nathan Redmond after a fine ball from James Ward-Prowse. Saints worked there way back into the game as Ward-Prows headed straight at Ramsdale as both teams continued to have chances.

Kyle Walker-Peters then made a superb block to deny Wilson after Jannik Vestergaard was caught out but Bournemouth couldn’t capitalize. Just before half time Ings struck to give Southampton the lead as they sprung forward after a loose pass and Redmond set up Ings who cut inside and curled home into the far corner to make it 1-0.

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Ings almost doubled Saints’ lead in a very similar fashion just after the break but this time he curled just wide. At the other end Wilson went through but Alex McCarthy did superbly to claw the ball away from the Bournemouth striker at a pivotal moment.

Ward-Prowse had a shot from the edge of the box which Ramsdale tipped just wide and from the resulting corner Southampton were awarded a penalty kick. Half time sub Harry Wilson handled in the box and VAR was used to award the spot kick. Ings’ penalty kicked was saved by Ramsdale as the star striker missed a Premier League penalty kick for the first time in his career.

Buoyed by that mistake from Ings, Bournemouth came surging back and Harry Wilson was denied by McCarthy. Late on the Cherries chucked plenty of players forward as sub Dominic Solanke was denied by McCarthy.

Wilson hit the side-netting late on as the Cherries finished the game with five forward players on the pitch. That led to Southampton getting plenty of chances on the break as Ramsdale brilliantly denied Redmond.

Late on Bournemouth thought they had an equalizer but Surridge’s goal was ruled out due to Wilson being offside and Adams wrapped up Southampton’s win with a beautiful strike in the 98th minute.

Bournemouth need miracle after Southampton defeat originally appeared on NBCSports.com