Both sides came into the encounter having collected one point from the last six on offer. Saïd Benrahma and Tomáš Šoucek missed the target from a free-kick and a header respectively early on, while, sandwiched in between those chances, Łukasz Fabianski was alert to smother at the feet of Dominic Solanke, with Thilo Kehrer clearing the danger as former Hammer Ryan Fredericks looked poised to pounce. Despite the game taking a while to come to the boil, Bournemouth were looking somewhat threatening on the ball and were organised when out of possession. However, the Hammers served notice of their attacking threat on 18 minutes as Jarrod Bowen clipped a lovely pass into Ben Johnson’s path. The 22-year-old’s cut-back eventually saw Flynn Downes’ effort blocked by Chris Mepham, with Aaron Cresswell’s follow-up tipped over superbly by Neto. The Brazilian goalkeeper suffered a muscle problem later in the half, however, and was forced off at the break to be replaced by Mark Travers, while the injured Solanke was also withdrawn, Kieffer Moore coming on in his place.
The deadlock was broken just before the interval as Bowen’s corner was eventually nodded in by Kurt Zouma, who impressed at the heart of defence. The goal stood despite the ball bouncing off Kehrer’s right hand in the build-up, although admittedly the German’s view of the delivery was impeded by the bodies in front of him, and he didn’t have his arms in an unnatural position. The hosts emerged buoyed for the second half, Benrahma buzzing around and Scamacca getting more service. In an attempt to regain control, Cherries boss Gary O’Neil threw on youngsters Jaidon Anthony and Jordan Zemura, and the visitors caused the East Londoners some scares as Moore’s dangerous cross evaded Philip Billing and the big target man’s flick-on was diverted wide by Jefferson Lerma.
The home side ultimately made the game safe when referee David Coote gave a penalty following a VAR check after Vladimír Coufal’s cross was blocked by Zemura, allowing Benrahma to dispatch the spot-kick in second-half stoppage time and ease his team’s relegation worries. Meanwhile, defeat for the South Coast club sees their three-match unbeaten run on the road come to an end.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Kurt Zouma (West Ham United)
