An impossible dream realised: the Vitality Stadium staging European football, where the Europa League is becoming an oasis for Bournemouth. No wins yet in the Premier League but beating Sturm Graz following up winning away at Real Sociedad should calm the domestic pressures mounting on Marco Rose. A pair of Brazilians secured club history, with Evanilson’s first-half header followed by Rayan’s later drive, a clincher coming just as the Austrian visitors had pushed hard for an equaliser. Álvaro Rodríguez’s injury-time penalty extended the celebrations.
Flag day at the Vitality. Elvis Presley’s high baritone and Andy Williams’ tenor on the public address system marked a different type of occasion. Bournemouth have come a significant distance. “Minus 17 to European dreams” read a banner in the Steve Fletcher stand, marking the journey from the foot of the Football League to becoming a model, continental club. Milan visit next week, an occasion to further broaden the smile of Bill Foley, Bournemouth’s financier present in the posh seats. “A long time coming,” said Bournemouth’s long-serving captain, Adam Smith. “The fans were up for it, the players were up for it.”
Bournemouth’s new head coach has described the chaos of English football, midfield areas that can resemble a rolling maul but he has pledged to learn and adapt. “I believe in this team and know they are always confident despite a difficult situation,” Rose said. “If we stick together and play like this and we have our fans then we are hard to play and it’s hard to beat us. That’s what we should take into the next game.”
Missing Eli Junior Kroupi so far this season, and lately Alex Scott, are regrettable problems within a small squad. Selling Scott for £80m in January, as has been speculated, speaks to the financial balancing act clubs such as Bournemouth must perform to progress. Following the 5-1 loss to Chelsea, Sunday’s Premier League meeting with Sunderland was prioritised in team selection though the second-half introduction of key men, including Rayan, proved decisive.
“Everyone deserves to play and it’s good for us for the busy weeks to have a competitive squad,” said Rose, who revealed Smith had given a speech to his teammates after the loss at Stamford Bridge. “That’s my captain.”
Smith supplied the first proper chance. Marcus Tavernier, cutting inside, shanked that wide before a Ben Gannon-Doak cross from the byline saw Rodríguez misjudge the flight. The summer signing, still raw at 22, finds decent positions only for his touch to betray him. His penalty, following an inadvertent handball from Jon Gorenc Stankovic, was his first goal and should help his confidence.
Graz, fourth in this season’s Österreichische Bundesliga, hardly exuded ambition, a defensive trio often morphing into a shell-like five. Amid such squeezed space, after a corner, Bournemouth had the ball in the net, for what seemed an own goal though it had struck Bafode Diakité’s arm. Tavernier struck the outside of a post, before Graz at last began to advance. The away contingent celebrated a penalty but Belmin Beganovic was shown a yellow card for simulation. Fabio Ingolitsch, the Graz coach and a Rose protege, spoke to his own team’s realities by saying: “Bournemouth is the team with the biggest market value in the Europa League.”
Another Smith cross supplied Evanilson’s goal, a header full of neck muscle looping off the angle for a first European goal celebrated in Boscombe. “Many more to come from him,” said Smith of the perpetual motion No 9. Graz fans sang whatever the game state, that being the continental way, but there became more to encourage them beyond the break. Simon Seidl’s shot whistled wide, Jürgen Heil struck a post before Jacob-Peter Hödl forced a remarkable reflex save from Djorde Petrovic on the rebound. The spectre of Premier League travails, where positive play has been unrewarded, loomed as Graz interchanges became crisper.
The 70th-minute triple introduction of Rayan, Justin Kluivert and Ryan Christie proved Rose’s successful attempt to both lock down midfield and increase his team’s attacking threat.
Rayan, a decent finisher when coming inside, snatched the contest from Austrian reach. Daniil Khudyakov, Graz’s Russian goalkeeper, first flapped at a corner and then got only a weak hand to the Brazilian’s drive through the proverbial forest of legs. Bournemouth’s European homecoming had been coupled with the victory the occasion had demanded.
