Substitute Evanilson came off the bench to rescue a point for Bournemouth and stretch their unbeaten Premier League run to eight matches, but a 1-1 draw with Sunderland at the Vitality Stadium left both sides with mixed emotions. Eliezer Mayenda's first-half strike, pouncing on a rebound from Habib Diarra's shot, had given the visitors a deserved lead after a dominant opening spell.
Bournemouth, chasing an outside chance of European qualification, needed a second-half reaction and found it when Evanilson turned in Marcus Tavernier's cross with his shoulder midway through the second period. Sunderland, boosted by the return of captain Granit Xhaka and desperate to halt a run of three straight league defeats, produced a disciplined, combative display and thought they had snatched a late winner before the offside flag intervened in a fractious finale.
Sunderland's bright start rewards long trip to the south coast
The 700-mile round trip from Wearside did nothing to dull Sunderland's edge. Régis Le Bris's side began with the urgency of a team intent on arresting a slump, almost taking the lead inside three minutes when Noah Sadiki's low effort forced Djordje Petrovic into an early save. Soon after, Enzo Le Fee tumbled in the area under a nudge from Alex Jimenez, prompting loud penalty appeals from the visitors. Referee Jarred Gillett waved play on, and VAR supported his assessment that it was 'normal contact' – a verdict that left Le Fee rueful and Sunderland feeling aggrieved.