Kroupi’s brace and Christie’s late strike, but a stoppage-time penalty denies Bournemouth top spot

Bournemouth were minutes away from a statement win and a brief stay at the Premier League summit when Crystal Palace were awarded a stoppage-time penalty, converted by Jean-Philippe Mateta to complete his hat-trick and secure a 3-3 draw. For much of the afternoon, Andoni Iraola’s side were composed, incisive and in control at Selhurst Park.

Teenage forward Eli Junior Kroupi struck twice in the first half to put the Cherries 2-0 up and Ryan Christie’s 89th-minute finish from Marcus Tavernier’s pass seemed to settle it. But late decisions went against the visitors, most notably when Bafode Diakite was penalised for grappling Marc Guehi at a corner in the 97th minute. The away end, which had earlier chanted about going top, departed with a point that felt like two lost.

Press and precision put the Cherries in charge

From the first whistle Bournemouth’s front line pressed with purpose, unsettling Palace and forcing errors. The breakthrough arrived on seven minutes when Justin Kluivert’s inswinging corner ricocheted off Maxence Lacroix and fell perfectly for Kroupi to head in at the back post.

Antoine Semenyo was a constant menace, drawing a full-stretch stop from Dean Henderson and then igniting the move for 2-0. He left Chris Richards trailing down the left and drove a low cross that Marc Guehi failed to clear; Kroupi pounced and finished with conviction. Bournemouth’s shape was compact, their transitions razor-sharp.

Key calls and a swing in momentum

Early in the second half, Ismaila Sarr raced clear and was brought down by Marcos Senesi. After a VAR referral to the monitor, referee Jarred Gillett stuck with a yellow, a reprieve that felt crucial but did not prevent the game’s tide from turning.

Palace’s first reply came when Daniel Munoz’s cross found Jean-Philippe Mateta; the flag went up for offside but a swift review awarded the goal. Within five minutes Petrovic saved from Munoz only for Mateta to squeeze in from a tight angle for 2-2. Eddie Nketiah later had a finish rightly ruled out for offside as chaos reigned.

Christie strikes, controversy at the death

Bournemouth reasserted themselves late and struck on 89 minutes, Tavernier threading Christie to restore the lead. It looked like a fifth league win and a result worthy of their start to the season.

Then came the decisive call: in stoppage time Diakite was judged to have wrestled Guehi at a left-wing corner. To Iraola’s fury, the penalty stood after review and Mateta converted in the 97th minute to complete his treble. The manager said he was upset and angry about the decision and believed VAR had been influenced by an earlier incident.

Perspective on a point and the bigger picture

There was still time for Mateta to miss a sitter in the 99th minute, a reminder that the game remained on a knife-edge until the end. Bournemouth leave South London with a draw that flatters neither side’s effort but frustrates the visitors most after such long control.

Even so, the performance underlines Bournemouth’s upward trajectory under Iraola. The away fans’ chants about being top of the league captured the mood of a team now fourth and dreaming bigger. On another day, without those late calls, this felt every inch a signature away win.