Super Neto delivers as Cherries checkout with draw
Two teams who would’ve no doubt been pleased with their respective starts to the campaign, it was Brentford who began the match on top, with two early chances testing the Bournemouth goalkeeper early on.
Both opportunities fell to Mikkel Damsgaard (22), whose curled strike from outside the box was tipped away by Neto (33), before the Cherries’ shot-stopper once again thwarted the Brentford winger, this time saving from a 20-yard driven shot.
Having turned a corner in their previous three matches under O'Neil, Bournemouth looked like they were about to be given a penalty midway through the half, when Kristoffer Ajer (24) appeared to trip Jordan Zemura (22) inside the box.
A VAR check ensued, but sticking to his original decision, referee Thomas Bramall waved away the Bournemouth protests, despite reviewing the incident on the monitor.
The visitors had scored almost three times more than Bournemouth this season, but on an afternoon where they lacked a clinical edge, Brentford were left ruing missed chances.
Perhaps the best of the game for Thomas Frank’s side came with 15 minutes to play, when Ivan Toney (26) volleyed over the crossbar from six yards out.
Frustration for Brentford, who more than doubled their opponents’ chances and shots on target, without finding a breakthrough goal. The Bees’ dismal away record now stretches to 20 matches without a game - by far the longest run in the Premier League.
More positives for Bournemouth, with the Premier League’s second-worst defence holding out for their second consecutive home clean sheet.
