AFC Bournemouth
Ollie Watkins’s last-minute goal ensured honours finished even in the battle of the Basque managers at Vitality Stadium.
Andoni Iraola’s AFC Bournemouth appeared on course to lower the colours of Unai Emery’s high-flying Aston Villa until Watkins struck late on.
Antoine Semenyo drew first blood for the Cherries with an arrow-like finish in the tenth minute before Leon Bailey levelled for the Villans ten minutes later.
A lengthy VAR review ruled out an effort from Diego Carlos midway through an entertaining first half which saw both teams create chances.
Dom Solanke netted his eighth goal of the season seven minutes into the second half before Watkins popped up to earn the Villans a share of the spoils.
Marcus Tavernier turned inside off the right flank and tried his luck from the edge of the box, his shot flying past the upright after just 45 seconds.
Early chances for Villa saw Nicolò Zaniolo slice his effort high over the crossbar before Leon Bailey’s fierce drive was blocked by Marcos Senesi.
Douglas Luiz’s speculative strike from 25 yards forced Neto to scramble across his line and turned the ball past the post for a corner.
The Cherries took the lead when Semenyo tucked home his third goal of the season with a clinical right-foot finish into the bottom corner in the tenth minute.
It came about after Diego Carlos had squandered possession, with Ryan Christie profiting to slip the ball into Semenyo’s path around ten yards out.
The same combination almost made it 2-0 just six minutes later, Semenyo picked out by Christie’s superb crossfield pass, only for Emi Martinez to save with his knee at his near post.
Bailey levelled for the Villans when he ended a jinking run with a blistering strike which gave Neto no chance as it arrowed into the bottom corner in the 20th minute.
Carlos thought he had edged Villa ahead just two minutes later, but his close-range effort was eventually ruled out for offside following a lengthy VAR review.
Martinez managed to get a fingertip to Semenyo’s venomous drive from a tight angle before Argentina’s World Cup-winning goalkeeper foiled Dom Solanke with a great save.
Christie’s trickery down the right created the opening with Solanke meeting the Scotsman’s low cross inside the six-yard box, only for Martinez to spread himself and save with his chest.
Solanke just failed to make contact with Semenyo’s driven centre before Illia Zabarnyi nodded Lewis Cook’s 37th-minute corner past the post.
Ezri Konsa’s perfectly-timed tackle prevented Kluivert from taking aim after Christie had picked him out having displayed superb control to take down a high ball.
And on the stroke of half-time, a top-drawer save from Neto denied Luiz, the Cherries captain beating away the midfielder’s thunderous strike from six yards.
Milos Kerkez was in the thick of the action as the Cherries regained the lead through Solanke seven minutes into the second half.
The defender climbed to beat Ollie Watkins and met Martinez’s clearance with a header which was cushioned back to him by Kluivert.
Kerkez continued his run before threading a pass to Solanke who turned sharply and rifled a low shot past Martinez for his eighth goal of the season.
Tavernier’s electrifying run almost paid dividends, the winger centring for Solanke whose first-time effort at the near post was saved by a sprawling Martinez.
Villa substitute Jhon Durán went close to equalising when his shot from the edge of the box came back off the post in the 72nd minute.
Tavernier arrived to meet Philip Billing’s low cross, only for Àlex Moreno to divert his shot for a corner before Watkins restored parity in the final minute.
The striker guided a header past Neto from close range after being picked out by Moussa Diaby’s delicate cross.
AFC Bournemouth: Neto, Smith, Senesi, Zabarnyi, Kerkez (Mepham, 83), Christie, Cook, Tavernier (Ouattara, 90), Solanke, Kluivert (Billing, 70), Semenyo (Sinisterra, 70).
Unused subs: Mepham, Brooks, Rothwell, Moore, Traorè, Travers (g/k).
Booked: Kluivert, Semenyo, Senesi, Christie, Kerkez.
Aston Villa: Martinez, Carlos, Konsa (Cash, 74), Luiz, McGinn (Durán, 65), Tielemans, Watkins, Digne (Moreno, 74), Torres, Zaniolo (Ramsey, h/t), Bailey (Diaby, 74).
Unused subs: Lenglet, Dendoncker, Iroegbunam, Olsen (g/k).
Booked: Torres, Zaniolo, Durán.
Referee: Thomas Bramall.
Attendance: 11,191.
