Sunderland 3-2 AFC Bournemouth: Post-match review, Stats, Key moments

AFC Bournemouth came flying out of the blocks at the Stadium of Light, grabbing an early lead when A. Adli slotted home in the 7th minute, followed by T. Adams doubling their advantage in the 15th. Sunderland weren’t about to roll over, though, and E. Le Fee pulled one back from the penalty spot in the 30th after a yellow card to Bournemouth’s Alex Scott earlier in the half. The home side kept pushing, but Bournemouth held firm until the break, with possession tilting in the visitors’ favour.

The second half exploded into life right away, as B. Traore equalised for Sunderland in the 46th minute with an assist from G. Xhaka. Substitutions shook things up around the hour mark, with Sunderland making a triple change at 63’, including B. Brobbey coming on and later grabbing the winner in the 69th, assisted by Le Fee. Bournemouth pushed hard late on but were hampered by Lewis Cook’s red card in the 90+6th minute, allowing Sunderland to hold on for a thrilling 3-2 victory despite a flurry of yellow cards in stoppage time.

Sunderland edged this one despite Bournemouth bossing possession at 57% to the Black Cats’ 43%, which showed in the visitors’ ability to control spells of the game, but Sunderland made their moments count with more successful dribbles at 39 to 33, helping them break through for those crucial goals. Corners favoured Sunderland 6-3, reflecting their threat from set pieces, while both sides racked up five yellow cards each, with Bournemouth also seeing one red, which likely contributed to the frantic finish and Sunderland’s ability to see it out. Penalties played a part too, with Sunderland converting their one spot-kick, and they recorded two assists compared to Bournemouth’s none, underlining better teamwork in attack, though the Cherries used all five subs to Sunderland’s four in a bid to turn the tide.

The stats paint a picture of a gritty, even contest where Sunderland’s efficiency in front of goal and dribbling prowess overcame Bournemouth’s dominance on the ball, especially after those impactful changes around the 63rd minute when the likes of B. Brobbey came on for W. Isidor, R. Mundle replaced C. Talbi, and T. Hume took over from B. Traore.

The game turned on its head with Sunderland’s penalty in the 30th minute, converted by E. Le Fee to halve the deficit after Bournemouth’s blistering start with goals from A. Adli at 7’ and T. Adams at 15’. B. Traore’s equaliser right after the restart in the 46th, assisted by G. Xhaka, shifted momentum, and the triple substitution at 63’ injected fresh energy for Sunderland, leading to B. Brobbey’s decisive strike in the 69th, set up by Le Fee.

Bournemouth’s hopes faded with Lewis Cook’s red card in the 90+6th minute following his earlier introduction at half-time when he replaced A. Scott, compounding a tough second half marked by further subs like D. Brooks for A. Adli and J. Kluivert for T. Adams at 71’, but it wasn’t enough to claw back.

Sunderland lined up in a solid 4-2-3-1 formation, with the midfield duo providing a strong base for the attacking trio to exploit spaces, and partnerships like Le Fee and Brobbey shining in the final third to turn the game around.

AFC Bournemouth set out in a 4-2-3-1 shape, relying on their midfield to dictate play and support the forward line, with early contributions from Adli and Adams highlighting effective link-up play before substitutions disrupted their rhythm.

E. Le Fee earned Man of the Match honours for Sunderland with a composed penalty in the 30th minute and a clever assist for Brobbey’s winner in the 69th, his all-around influence in midfield proving vital in orchestrating the comeback despite being subbed off late at 86’ for L. Geertruida.

Recent Premier League matches:

• Win: 3-2 vs AFC Bournemouth (H)
• Loss: 0-1 vs Fulham (A)
• Draw: 2-2 vs Arsenal (H)
• Draw: 1-1 vs Everton (H)
• Win: 2-1 vs Chelsea (A)

Recent Premier League matches:

• Loss: 2-3 vs Sunderland (A)
• Draw: 2-2 vs West Ham United (H)
• Loss: 0-4 vs Aston Villa (A)
• Loss: 1-3 vs Manchester City (A)
• Win: 2-0 vs Nottingham Forest (H)

Sunderland will be buzzing after this hard-fought 3-2 win, which boosts their confidence heading into the next fixture, giving them a chance to build momentum and climb the table with their attacking flair on show.

AFC Bournemouth will rue the late red card and missed opportunities in this 3-2 defeat, looking to bounce back in their upcoming match by tightening up defensively and making the most of their possession dominance.

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