Chelsea Grind Out 1-0 Win at Bournemouth with Late Nkunku Goal
Chelsea secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday, thanks to a late winner from substitute Christopher Nkunku.
The Blues endured a challenging first half, with Bournemouth hitting the woodwork twice and Robert Sanchez saving a penalty from Evanilson. However, Chelsea’s depth proved crucial in the second half.
Jadon Sancho, who joined Chelsea from Manchester United on deadline day, made an impressive debut as a half-time substitute. His incisive pass found Nkunku, who slotted home the winning goal in the 86th minute.
The match was marred by a record-breaking 14 yellow cards, surpassing the previous high of 12. Despite the fractious nature of the game, Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca praised his team’s resilience.
“You cannot come here and win without getting your shirt dirty,” said Maresca. “We had to battle through our lack of cohesion, but we showed great character.”
Sancho expressed his delight at making his Chelsea debut. “It’s amazing to make my debut for Chelsea,” he said. “I’ve been working hard for this moment, and I’m just happy that I got my chance.”
Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola lamented his team’s missed opportunities. “We had more everything, more shots, more corners,” he said. “But at the end, what really matters is to score, and they did it at the end.”
Chelsea’s victory lifts them to seventh in the Premier League standings with seven points from four games. Bournemouth, meanwhile, remains winless after four matches.