Antoine Semenyo fired Bournemouth to a vital 1-0 win over Fulham with a goal inside the first minute at the Vitality Stadium, as the Cherries reignited their push for European football next season.
The Ghanaian forward intercepted a loose pass from Antonee Robinson and curled a superb finish beyond Bernd Leno just 53 seconds into the match. The early goal proved decisive in a game where both teams had multiple chances but failed to capitalize.
Bournemouth nearly doubled their lead in the 16th minute when Evanilson smashed a close-range effort off the crossbar after a slick pass from Alex Scott. Despite a few threatening moves, the hosts couldn’t extend their advantage.
Fulham responded with periods of sustained pressure but lacked precision in the final third. Rodrigo Muniz, Ryan Sessegnon, and Joachim Andersen all missed solid opportunities before halftime. Kepa Arrizabalaga, often scrutinized for his inconsistency, produced a composed performance between the sticks with two crucial saves in the second half to deny Alex Iwobi and Sasa Lukic.
The Cherries appealed for a penalty late in the game when Leno appeared to bring down Evanilson in the box, but referee Michael Oliver — supported by VAR — waved the protests away, ruling that Leno had touched the ball.
The victory marks Bournemouth’s first Premier League win since February 15 and moves them level on points with Fulham. With superior goal difference, Andoni Iraola’s side climbs to eighth, keeping them in the conversation for a Europa Conference League spot.
Bournemouth’s form had dipped in recent weeks, going six games without a win in the league and crashing out of the FA Cup at the quarter-final stage. But this gritty, hard-fought win will provide a major boost, especially with difficult fixtures ahead against Arsenal, Aston Villa, and Manchester City.
Defender Dean Huijsen also stood out on his 20th birthday, producing a vital challenge to deny Raul Jimenez in the closing stages.
Meanwhile, Fulham were left to rue missed chances. After their emphatic win over Liverpool, Marco Silva’s side appeared sluggish early on and couldn’t recover from the early blow.
Rodrigo Muniz, who had scored in three straight league games, squandered Fulham’s best chance after pouncing on a defensive error but dragged his shot wide. A studs-up challenge by Marcos Senesi on Andersen drew yellow, though some Fulham players argued it deserved a red — a decision VAR quickly upheld.
Fulham now risk falling out of the European race unless they rediscover consistency in their final six matches.
