AFC Bournemouth
AFC Bournemouth staged one of the most remarkable comebacks in Premier League history to emerge as 4-3 victors following a compelling contest with Luton Town at Vitality Stadium.
Trailing 3-0 at half-time, Andoni Iraola’s team turned on the style to take the points thanks to Antoine Semenyo’s double, Dom Solanke’s 17th goal of the season and Illia Zabarnyi’s first for the club.
The hosts were left with a mountain to climb after first-half goals from Tahith Chong, Chiedozie Ogbene and Ross Barkley had put the Hatters in the driving seat at the break.
But three goals in the space of 14 minutes at the start of the second half put the Cherries on level terms before Semenyo struck in the 83rd minute to settle a scintillating affair in favour of Iraola’s team.
It is only the third time in Premier League history that a team losing 3-0 at half-time has gone on to win and the fifth time a team has overturned a 3-0 deficit to emerge victorious.
Adam Smith made his 200th Premier League appearance as the Cherries and the Hatters locked horns in the top flight for the first time, completing the set of the teams having met in all four divisions as well as the FA Cup, League Cup and Football League Trophy.
Cherries head coach Iraola made three changes to his starting line-up with Dango Ouattara, Luis Sinisterra and Alex Scott replacing Milos Kerkez, Marcus Tavernier and Justin Kluivert.
Solanke, whose equaliser in the abandoned game in December was chalked off, headed wide of the target after Semenyo’s cross had picked him out in the early stages.
Ryan Christie’s driving run took him into the 18-yard box, only for the Scotland international to see his effort strike Hatters defender Teden Mengi.
Luton opened the scoring in the ninth minute when Chong arrived in the six-yard box to meet Jordan Clark’s delicate cross with a header, his third goal of the season.
Carlton Morris’s diving header from Issa Kaboré’s centre was deflected for a corner before Thomas Kaminski saved with his foot after Sinisterra had linked with Solanke and pulled the trigger.
As the Cherries’ pressure intensified, Semenyo’s cross just eluded Solanke before Kaminski was forced to save low down after Sinisterra had let fly having been picked out by Scott’s raking pass.
But the visitors doubled their lead in the 31st minute when Ogbene slid in at the far post to prod Alfie Doughty’s cross into the back of the net with Chong instrumental in the move.
As the Cherries went in search of an immediate response, Sinisterra’s effort from Lewis Cook’s corner struck a defender before Ogbene missed his kick as he looked to meet Doughty’s cross.
Semenyo’s low drive was deflected for a corner and Cook’s thunderous 30-yard drive was beaten away by Kaminski five minutes before half-time.
Luton added a third goal in first-half injury time when Barkley fastened on to Kaboré’s defence-splitting through ball before rifling an unstoppable right-foot shot past Neto.
A double substitution at the interval saw Enes Ünal and Tavernier come on in place of Scott and Sinisterra.
Hatters defender Mengi stuck out a leg to prevent Tavernier’s low cross from reaching Ünal at the start of the second half.
Solanke reduced the arrears with a stunning goal in the 50th minute, the striker holding off three defenders just inside the 18-yard box before turning sharply, rolling the ball through one of his marker's legs and deftly lifting the ball over the onrushing Kaminski.
Semenyo sent a rasping drive over the crossbar before the Hatters had an effort ruled out, Chong flagged offside after prodding the ball home from close range.
Zabarnyi made further inroads when his header made it 3-2 after 62 minutes, the Ukraine international’s first goal for the Cherries, the defender becoming the youngest player from his country to score in the Premier League.
It came about after Ünal’s header from Cook’s corner was blocked on the line by Doughty, Zabarnyi well placed to nod the rebound home despite the best efforts of the Luton player to clear for a second time.
And just two minutes later, Iraola’s team were level, Semenyo drilling a left-foot shot past Kaminski from the edge of the box following a superb crossfield pass from Christie.
Morris arrived to meet Doughty’s free-kick with a weak header which Barkley latched on to and lifted his effort over the crossbar.
Tyler Adams, returning following hamstring surgery, was handed his Premier League debut for the Cherries, the United States international replacing Smith 19 minutes from time.
Dango Ouattara and Solanke worked an opening for Ünal, the Turkey international’s low drive smothered at his near post by Kaminski.
The Cherries took the lead for the first time when Semenyo started and finished a brilliant move in the 83rd minute.
Gaining possession near the halfway line, he traded passes with Ünal before racing into the 18-yard box and blasting a venomous shot past Kaminski to complete a stunning turnaround.
Ünal, who was pivotal in the victory, went close to adding a fifth deep in added time.
AFC Bournemouth: Neto, Smith (Adams, 71), Mepham, Zabarnyi, Ouattara, Cook, Christie (Hill, 90), Scott (Tavernier, h/t), Sinisterra (Ünal, h/t), Solanke (Billing, 89), Semenyo.
Unused subs: Travers (g/k), Kerkez, Faivre, Kluivert.
Booked: Smith.
Luton Town: Kaminski, Burke, Mengi, Hashioka (Mpanzu, 68), Kaboré, Clark, Barkley (Berry, 88), Doughty, Ogbene (Townsend, 88), Chong (Woodrow, 73), Morris.
Unused subs: Shea (g/k), Krul (g/k), Nelson, Piesold, Dos Santos Martins.
Booked: Clark, Ogbene.
Referee: Sam Allison.
