James rescues Chelsea in a 2-2 thriller against Bournemouth

Reece James‘ dramatic stoppage-time free-kick salvaged a point for Chelsea in a thrilling 2-2 draw against Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea took the lead in the 13th minute through Cole Palmer, who expertly wrong-footed Bournemouth goalkeeper Mark Travers before slotting home. Despite dominating the first half, Chelsea allowed the visitors back into the game early in the second half.

Moises Caicedo conceded a penalty after a clumsy foul on Antoine Semenyo, and Justin Kluivert made no mistake from the spot, sending Robert Sanchez the wrong way for his sixth penalty goal of the season.

Bournemouth seized the momentum in the 68th minute when Semenyo unleashed a thunderous left-footed strike that ricocheted in off the post, giving the Cherries a 2-1 lead and putting them on course for a famous away victory.

However, in the fifth minute of stoppage time, James stepped up with a low, precise free-kick that pierced through a crowded box and nestled into the bottom-right corner, sparking jubilant celebrations from the home crowd.

VAR Drama and Tactical Battles
The match was not without controversy. Late in the game, David Brooks committed a cynical foul on Marc Cucurella off the ball. The referee consulted VAR but opted to show Brooks only a yellow card, marking the first time in Premier League history that a referee overturned a potential red card after a monitor review.

Chelsea’s Enzo Maresca, now overseeing a side without a league win in five matches, will take solace in James’ heroics, though questions remain about the team’s defensive frailties and consistency.

For Bournemouth, the result was bittersweet. They remain just behind Chelsea on the table but were moments away from a statement win before James’ late intervention.

Both teams will look to build on the positives in their upcoming fixtures, but Chelsea, in particular, will need to address their struggles to close out matches if they hope to climb the league standings.