Semenyo’s swagger and Kluivert’s thunderbolt ignite Bournemouth’s storm‑lashed comeback to go second

This was a Bournemouth win carved from persistence and illuminated by individual brilliance. Down to Ryan Sessegnon’s strike in a game that had offered little but spray and gusts, the Cherries turned it on: Antoine Semenyo conjured a scarcely believable equaliser from the byline, Justin Kluivert then detonated a long‑range winner, and Semenyo sprinted away in stoppage time to finish a 3-1 comeback.

Andoni Iraola’s side have brushed off the elements and the summer’s upheaval to climb to second in the table. On a night when small margins threatened to go against them, Bournemouth’s depth, daring and fitness told.

A Basque blueprint built to last

Iraola’s high‑pressing blueprint was apparent from the first whistle. He rotated four from the draw at Leeds, trusting David Brooks, Marcus Tavernier, Alex Scott and James Hill to maintain tempo while Ryan Christie, Amine Adli, Justin Kluivert and Alejandro Jiménez waited in reserve. Adrien Truffert raided from left‑back, Tyler Adams drove the first effort on target, and Bournemouth peppered Fulham with set‑pieces that have become a signature weapon.

When the spark dimmed in the rain, the bench carried the plan. Jiménez and Kluivert arrived around the hour to add overlap and zip. Then, one minute before the rally truly began, Iraola pushed harder, swapping Marcos Senesi for winger Ben Gannon‑Doak; once ahead, he secured the back line by introducing Veljko Milosavljevic for Brooks. It was a display of tactical nerve and timing.

Aggrieved by margins, undeterred by the storm

Bournemouth had reason to bristle. Calvin Bassey’s challenge on Evanilson after a Semenyo strike drew loud penalty appeals that were scrubbed by an offside flag, then VAR judged Issa Diop’s later contact on Evanilson to be accidental. Even the scoreboard mocked their wait when it flashed an accidental celebration after Evanilson found only the side‑netting.

So when Sasa Lukic limped off and Tom Cairney improved Fulham’s fluency, the tide briefly turned. Samuel Chukwueze combined with Sessegnon for a neat finish that pierced a drizzle‑soaked stalemate, and the visitors’ compact back five momentarily smothered the contest. Bournemouth, though, were only pausing for breath.

Semenyo’s audacity, Kluivert’s exclamation mark

Semenyo changed everything. He slalomed down the byline on the left, somehow kept the ball in play and then nutmegged Bernd Leno from a near‑impossible angle to level. His post‑match explanation fit the finish: he has “slowed everything down” in his head, staying calm to place rather than snatch at power—and the results are showing.

Moments later, Semenyo turned creator, springing Kluivert to surge through the centre. The substitute needed no second invitation, uncorking a swerving, rising hit from 25–30 yards that ripped into the top corner. From a night drifting away, Bournemouth now had it by the scruff.

Tweaks, control—and the ruthless finish

Iraola’s reshapes paid off twice: aggression to chase the game, then control to manage it. Ben Gannon‑Doak’s introduction stretched Fulham’s back line, while Veljko Milosavljevic’s later arrival helped restore a firmer defensive shell. The squad’s depth—so different from last winter’s attrition—was evident in the way fresh legs raised the press rather than fractured it.

As Fulham flung men forward in stoppage time, the Cherries landed the punch the night was primed for. One rapid transition, a perfectly timed release, and Semenyo was away again to roll in his second. A goal and an assist on the night, and another step in a prolific run of contributions over his last 13 league matches.

Context, momentum and what’s next

Bournemouth’s ascent to second underscores a superb start—unbeaten since opening day at Liverpool and thriving despite around £200m of summer departures from the first‑team core. The combination of structure and spontaneity, with Semenyo at its cutting edge, is carrying them through storm and strain alike.

After the international break, Bournemouth head to Crystal Palace on Saturday 18 October (15:00 BST). With Storm Amy in the rear‑view and the table smiling, this comeback felt like further proof that Iraola’s side can bend tight, ugly nights to their will.