Bournemouth 2 Stoke City 1: Late comeback caps dream week for Cherries

Bournemouth struck twice late on to continue their fine form in a come-from-behind 2-1 win over Stoke City at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday.

Substitute strikers Joshua King and Lys Mousset were both on target in the space of 10 second-half minutes to overturn Xherdan Shaqiri’s early opener and extend the Cherries’ unbeaten run to seven Premier League matches.

Eddie Howe’s men, full of confidence after their stunning midweek win at Chelsea, were looking to shore up a top-half spot and pull further clear of the bottom three, but their plans were thrown into disarray inside five minutes.

An unmarked Shaqiri nodded the visitors ahead and they retained that lead to the break despite Bournemouth’s sustained pressure.

The relegation-threatened Potters were themselves seeking to maintain an undefeated start under Paul Lambert and might have extended their lead through a couple of Peter Crouch half-chances after the restart.

However, King equalised with 20 minutes remaining and that opened the door to Mousset’s winner – his first Premier League goal making it four wins in seven top-flight fixtures for Howe’s side.

FULL-TIME Bournemouth 2-1 Stoke

Bournemouth fight back against an impressive first-half display by Stoke, goals from King and Mousset completing a comeback for Eddie Howe’s side#PL #BOUSTK pic.twitter.com/iwssQ8Kxlg

— Premier League (@premierleague) February 3, 2018

Lambert’s decision to draft in £14 million deadline-day signing Badou Ndiaye immediately paid off as the Senegal international swung in a fine cross for Shaqiri’s unlikely opener.

Left unmarked on the penalty spot, the Swiss star coolly guided a rare header into the bottom-right corner to ignite an entertaining first half.

1 – Xherdan Shaqiri’s goal was his first headed strike in 139 matches in Europe’s big five leagues, out of 24 goals in total. Nod.

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) February 3, 2018

The Cherries’ early setback, which came just moments after Shaqiri had seen a shot cleared off the line, was soon compounded by a Steve Cook injury, with Howe turning to King in a tactical reshuffle.

Jordon Ibe and Callum Wilson were both unsuccessful with ambitious attempts to restore parity, while Ndiaye scuffed a promising opportunity wide following Crouch’s clever lay-off.

Bournemouth appeared certain to equalise when King’s low cross reached Ibe at the far post in the 35th minute, but Erik Pieters came from nowhere to block the winger’s point-blank finish.

Jack Butland’s smart save from a Junior Stanislas free-kick and Wilson’s heavy touch at the end of the half meant the visitors reached the break with their lead intact.

 Bright start on his debut.

City continue to lead at the Vitality Stadium.

(0-1) #SCFC pic.twitter.com/Oa3YM3Flfu

— Stoke City FC (@stokecity) February 3, 2018

Howe’s men were back on the front foot immediately after the resumption as King tested Butland with a swerving effort and Ibe fired into a brave Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting.

Crouch, who had come in for Mame Biram Diouf at the point of attack, issued a reminder of Stoke’s threat by fizzing a half-volley at Asmir Begovic and then skimming a header off the top of the crossbar.

The bulk of the pressure continued to be applied at the other end, though, and Bournemouth were finally rewarded with an equaliser on 70 minutes.

A one-two between substitute Mousset and Dan Gosling broke kindly for King, who swept a clinical finish inside the bottom far corner.

And the quickfire comeback was complete when Mousset rose high to head home Ibe’s teasing free-kick for his first top-flight goal in English football.