Points shared in pulsating Championship opener

AFC Bournemouth

, Emiliano Marcondes ‘12' , Philip Billing ‘52'

West Bromwich Albion

, Dara O'Shea ‘33' , Callum Robinson ‘67'

FT 6th August 2021 7:45 PM

Vitality Stadium

#AFCB

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Commentary By @

A good point for the Cherries against the side who were in the Premier League last season.

A number of debuts for young players and both Jaidon Anthony and Jordan Zemura were involved in goals.

Thank you for joining us this evening and we'll see you again soon for the trip to Nottingham Forest next weekend.

A point is shared in the first game of the Sky Bet Championship season.

90'

Christian Saydee comes on for David Brooks.

Four minutes will be added on to end the game.

89'

Neither team wants to lose this game and it's become a bit scruffy and tense.

86'

Karlan Grant is replaced by Kenneth Zohore for the final few minutes.

85'

The West Brom midfielder wipes out Kilkenny in the centre of the park and gets a yellow.

82'

The West Brom captain picks up the ball at the edge of the box following a free-kick which is only just dealt with, but he lifts his effort well over the bar.

80'

Can the Cherries find the winner?

Alex Mowatt gets a yellow card for a foul on Zemura.

77'

Anthony finds Solanke with a brilliant ball beyond the defence and the forward fires at Button's near post, which momentarily seems to be exposed, but the goalkeeper gets down to make another good save.

A few good chances though!

75'

The Cherries work a clever corner routine as Brooks passes straight to Billing at the edge of the box, he fires at goal and hits really nicely but a West Brom body is in the way.

72'

Almost a third for West Brom!

Karlan Grant works some space inside the box and drives an effort towards Travers' top left corner but it flies wide.

69'

68'

Incredible save by David Button!

Superb skill by Solanke on the left touchline as he touches the ball through Furlong's legs, finding Billing.

The Dane sends a perfect cross to Brooks at the back post, who meets it on the volley.

His low effort looks destined for goal but for a superb finger-tip save by Button.

66'

That's the equaliser.

West Brom manage to breach the back line, Phillips threads the ball to Mowatt who drills it across the box for Callum Robinson to finish.

64'

Zemura concedes a free-kick just inches outside of the box on the left flank, and Mowatt fires the set-piece into the box.

Furlong glances it on at the near post but his header takes it away from goal and behind for a goal-kick.

Meanwhile, Grady Diangana is replaced by Matt Phillips.

63'

59'

Kyle Bartley gets a yellow card for throwing a Cherries player to the ground off the ball.

58'

55'

The Cherries are well on top now and are causing havoc on the wings.

Smith and Brooks are linking up nicely, two crosses into the box after nice moves require last ditch clearances.

50'

BILLING GIVES US THE LEAD AGAIN!

Jaidon Anthony races onto a great Kelly knock, he stands up to the defender and plays it into Zemura, who had made a good run into the box.

The young full-back drives the ball across goal and Button can only parry it to Billing, who calmly side-foots home.

49'

The defender has been really good so far.

Lloyd Kelly steps forward but his touch is heavy and it ricochets into the path of a West Brom forward.

He has the chance to deliver it into the box, where Grant is unmarked, but Mepham makes a good block.

From the resulting corner, Mowatt delivers a great ball into the six-yard box and the Cherries have to deflect it behind. The second corner is punched clear, but the referee blows for a foul anyway.

46'

Let's go, lads!

Kick-off in this second half is not far away now!

The Cherries started really brightly, Parker's energetic, quick football caused West Brom problems and the Cherries deserved their lead.

The visitors came back strongly and the aerial balls, from crosses or set-pieces, are causing problems and they're picking up the second balls.

We'll have been a little relieved for the half-time whistle but plenty to be positive about, Marcondes has looked excellent in his midfield role, Solanke has caused a few problems and Kilkenny is doing himself proud.

Also, a first assist of the season for Jaidon Anthony!

We're level at the break.

45'+1'

A loose touch by Zemura almost allows Grant in on goal but Chris Mepham does really well to get in the way and divert the ball back to Travers.

45'

42'

Kilkenny attempts to make the challenge at the edge of the box but it falls to Robinson, who curls an effort towards the bottom left corner.

Travers does well to get down and push it away before the resulting corner is managed.

39'

The Cherries are holding on a little bit at the moment as West Brom pile on the pressure.

They've not had any major chances to report but we're just lacking a bit of quality when putting passes together and are conceding too many set-pieces at the moment.

The most recent corner was well defender at the near post by Billing but West Brom keep it alive and a good cross by Robinson is put over the bar.

37'

31'

The visiting side equalise.

A long throw isn't cleared and the follow up cross finds Dara O'Shea at the back-post and he heads into the ground and past Travers.

Let's go again, boys!

30'

The young midfielder has impressed all through pre-season and has done so again today, making at least two interceptions already and showing a sublime bit of skill in the middle to lift the ball over an opponent, control it and find the pass.

Meanwhile, Darnell Furlong wins a header from a long free-kick forward and heads it into Callum Robinson's path but the Cherries defend well. Replays show the striker was offside anyway.

27'

24'

The Welshman looks revitalised under Scott Parker and has just plucked a high, looping ball right out of the sky and beyond the defender.

Brilliant skill.

19'

The Cherries defender collides with Karlan Grant as the forward looked to break across the half-way line.

Grant wipes out Scott Parker in the process, who helps him up, but Mepham receives a yellow.

16'

14'

I love the way we are playing #afcb
— Gavin Peacock’s Gilet (@korsikoff) August 6, 2021

12'

It's a debut goal for EMILIANO MARCONDES and the Vitality Stadium erupts!

Brilliant work by Jaidon Anthony as he races onto Billing's flick forward, the winger drives into the box and pulls it back into a good area.

Solanke holds his man off and allows Marcondes to rifle his effort into the bottom corner.

What a start!

10'

The last few minutes have been fairly quiet as both teams work to create an opening.

West Brom win a free-kick in a decent crossing position and Mowatt's delivery is headed at goal by Grant, but it's an easy save for Travers.

Dominic Solanke is making a few good runs off the last line of defence and the Cherries are trying to find him with early passes.

He appears to be brought down by the last man with the first pass towards him before the second, minutes later by Brooks, gets the forward into a decent area and a drilled ball across the box needs to be cleared.

West Brom win an early corner and the delivery causes carnage, their players screaming for a handball but the referee waves play away.

Philip Billing sets the crowd off after a heavy challenge on a West Brom player, but again the referee doesn't award anything.

Very frantic!

Dominic Solanke gets the 2021/22 Championship season underway!

Let's go, lads.