Jermain Defoe fires Bournemouth past Brighton to secure first Premier League win of the season
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ByEurosport
Updated 15/09/2017 at 21:51 GMT
Premier League – Vitality Stadium – Bournemouth 2 (Surman 67, Defoe 73) Brighton & Hove Albion 1 (March 55)
Bournemouth's Jermain Defoe celebrates scoring their second goal
Image credit: Reuters
Jermain Defoe's first goal since his return to Bournemouth provided his side with their first win of the season as the Cherries came from behind to beat Brighton and Hove Albion.
The England international struck the winner on 73 minutes, only five minutes after Andrew Surman had levelled things up for the hosts.
The Cherries had lost all four of their games in the top-flight this season, scoring one goal in the process, and were in desperate need of a morale-boosting victory. They found themselves a goal down however when Solly March made the breakthrough with his first goal in the Premier League as he headed in from Pascal Gross' cross.
But the introduction of £15m signing Jordon Ibe totally transformed the game, the former Liverpool midfielder laying on two goals in only eight minutes.
A neat back-heel into the path of Surman presented the midfielder with the perfect opportunity and he made no mistake, sliding the ball beyond Mathew Ryan.
And when Brighton failed to clear from a corner moments later, Ibe made them pay as he slid Defoe through for his first goal of the season as Eddie Howe's side held on for the three points.
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Jermain Defoe of AFC Bournemouth (18) celebrates as he scores their second goal during the Premier League match between AFC Bournemouth and Brighton and Hove Albion at Vitality Stadium on September 15, 2017 in Bournemouth, England.
Image credit: Getty Images
Despite their win, Bournemouth remain 19th while Brighton also stay 14th, but both teams have played a game more than the rest of the division.
TALKING POINT
The impact of Ibe: Bournemouth had ran out of ideas and were trailing by a goal when Howe threw on his playmaker, and only eight minutes later his decision was completely justified as Ibe's vision and awareness allowed Bournemouth to turn the game on its head. Defoe had been largely starved of service before Ibe was introduced, but the 21-year-old was intelligent enough to play the ball into the feet of the England international.
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Bournemouth's Andrew Surman celebrates scoring their first goal with Jordon Ibe
Image credit: Reuters
MAN OF THE MATCH
Jordon Ibe (Bournemouth) - Only played for 25 minutes, but did more than any of his team-mates in such a short period of time.
PLAYER RATINGS
Bournemouth: Begovic 6, Daniels 7, Ake 6, Francis 6, Smith 6, Pugh 7, Surman 7, King 6, Arter 6, Fraser 6, Defoe 7. Subs: Gosling N/A, Afobe 5, Ibe 8.
Brighton: Ryan 6, Rosenior 6, Dunk 8, Duffy 5, Suttner 6, Knockaert 6, Stephens 7, Propper 6, March 7, Gross 7, Hemed 5. Subs: Murray 5, Izquierdo 5,
KEY MOMENTS
30' - INCHES WIDE! Defoe comes mightily close to grabbing his first goal for Bournemouth as he curls an effort marginally wide of Ryan's left-hand post from the edge of the box. The 'keeper was beaten!
51' - OFF THE LINE! Brighton, from their first corner, almost find the breakthrough! Duffy rises highest to meet the delivery with a powerful header, but it's blocked on the line.
52' - CROSSBAR! A second Brighton corner in as many minutes causes mayhem inside the box - Duffy wins the header once more and Stephens nods it off the crossbar and Bournemouth survive.
55' - GOAL! Bournemouth 0-1 Brighton: Solly March, with his first goal in the Premier League, gives the new boys the lead! Gross twists and turns, opening a yard of space before whipping a cross into the penalty area, March gets between two defenders and heads it home.
67' - GOAL! Bournemouth 1-1 Brighton: The substitute Ibe plays a vital role in securing Bournemouth's equaliser! The former Liverpool playmaker plays a neat pass into the path of Surman who keeps it cool and slides it beyond Ryan.
71' - SO CLOSE! Brighton make a mess of a clearance, gifting Ibe a clear sight of goal inside the penalty area. However, a HEROIC block from Dunk steers his goal-bound volley over the bar.
73' - GOAL! Bournemouth 2-1 Brighton: It's Jermain Defoe, who scores his first goal since his return to the club. Brighton only partially clear from a corner, Ibe takes up possession and slides a lovely pass to Defoe who tucks the ball into the back of the net.
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Bournemouth's Jordon Ibe, Nathan Ake, Simon Francis and Andrew Surman celebrate with teammates after the match
Image credit: Reuters
KEY STAT
- Bournemouth continued their unbeaten league run against Brighton, winning 2-1 to extend that run to seven matches (W4 D3).
- Jermain Defoe scored his first goal for Bournemouth since May 2001 (5977 days ago), when he was playing alongside Eddie Howe for the Cherries away at Reading.
- Defoe has now scored against 36 different Premier League teams – only three players have scored against more; Frank Lampard (39), Andrew Cole (38) and Alan Shearer (37).
- Defoe has scored in 17 different Premier League seasons, with only three players scoring in more – Frank Lampard (18), Paul Scholes (19) and Ryan Giggs (21).
- Pascal Groß has been involved in all four of Brighton’s Premier League goals this season (two goals, two assists).
- Andrew Surman ended a run of 68 Premier League games without a goal, scoring his first since he found the net in Norwich’s 6-1 defeat to Manchester City in April 2012.
- Jordon Ibe provided assists for both of Bournemouth’s goals – before tonight, he hadn’t been involved in a single goal in his previous 28 Premier League appearances for the Cherries.
- Ibe is the first Bournemouth player to provide two assists in a single Premier League game.
- Brighton were the first Premier League team in 2017 to score the first goal of the game in the second half of a match and go on to lose the game – the last before them to do this were Middlesbrough at Manchester United on New Years Eve 2016.
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