Semenyo double and Kluivert strike send Bournemouth into top three

AFC Bournemouth climbed into the top three in the Premier League table as a sensational late show from Antoine Semenyo and Justin Kluivert guided them to a 3-1 win over Fulham.

It looked like Fulham were going to battle to three important points in wet and windy conditions at Vitality Stadium when Ryan Sessegnon put them ahead in the 70th minute.

But that goal spurred Bournemouth's attackers into life, and Semenyo dragged them level when he slotted through Bernd Leno's legs at the end of a brilliant solo run eight minutes later.

The turnaround was complete within six further minutes as substitute Kluivert arrowed a spectacular effort into the top-left corner from 25 yards out, and there was still time for Semenyo to get his brace on the counter-attack deep into stoppage time.

Bournemouth's dramatic victory lifts them to 14 points from seven matches ahead of the international break, while Fulham stay 11th in the table on eight points.

How the match unfolded

Chances were at a premium throughout a hard-fought first half, with Bournemouth going closest when Leno blocked Semenyo's 42nd-minute drive.

Bournemouth were on top at the start of the second half, with Evanilson sending one chance wide and working Leno with another.

Djordje Petrovic parried Harry Wilson's volley at the other end after a lovely set-up from Alex Iwobi, but from Fulham's next attack, Samuel Chukwueze's inch-perfect through-ball allowed Sessegnon to lift home.

Bournemouth looked to be running out of ideas, but Semenyo's fifth goal of the season got them level as he powered past Timothy Castagne to the byline before squeezing through Leno's legs from a tight angle.

And Semenyo soon added an assist, though Bournemouth's second goal was all about Kluivert, who skipped past Tom Cairney before giving Leno no chance from distance.

Cairney went close from the edge of the box as Fulham threw players forward, but Bournemouth sealed it in the 96th minute as Ben Gannon-Doak raced clear to tee up Semenyo.

Stunning goals save Bournemouth's unbeaten run

Bournemouth entered Friday's match on a high, with Eli Junior Kroupi's stoppage-time equaliser against Leeds United last week stretching their unbeaten run to five Premier League games.

They flew out of the traps here, penning Fulham back as crosses from Adrien Truffert and Semenyo forced panicked clearances.

But Bournemouth's momentum slowed, with the conditions proving an obstacle to their usually slick attacking play. The hosts' only two shots on target in the first half – from Tyler Adams and Semenyo – were separated by 32 minutes.

Andoni Iraola's team were frustrated by Fulham's resolute five-man defence for much of the second half, too, with Calvin Bassey making one heroic last-ditch block to deny Alex Scott.

While Bournemouth have generally impressed in the early season, they only scored one goal in their first two home games – a 1-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers and a 0-0 draw with Newcastle United – and it looked as though they may fire another blank here.

Enter Semenyo and Kluivert. The former now has six Premier League goals this season, with only Manchester City's Erling Haaland (eight) ahead of him in the Golden Boot race. The Dutchman's strike, meanwhile, was worthy of winning any match.

Several teams could overtake Bournemouth in the table over the weekend, but the Cherries have a result to savour during the international break, ahead of visiting Crystal Palace on 18 October.

Injury concerns mount as Fulham suffer another blow

After back-to-back victories over Leeds and Brentford, Fulham's positive run was halted by a 3-1 defeat to Aston Villa last week, despite them taking an early lead through Raul Jimenez's header.

But eight minutes after his goal, Jimenez was withdrawn and appeared to be in major discomfort as he clutched at his hip. With Rodrigo Muniz already sidelined due to a hamstring issue, Adama Traore played the rest of the game as a makeshift striker.

On Friday, it was the turn of 18-year-old Josh King to lead the line, but Fulham struggled to make it stick up front throughout the first half.

The 14th-minute introduction of Cairney altered things, though, as he gave them a foothold in midfield after replacing Sasa Lukic, who became the latest Fulham player to suffer an injury.

Cairney's fellow substitute Chukwueze supplied the pass for Sessegnon's opener, but two moments of brilliance undid the Fulham backline.

Castagne could not match Semenyo's pace and power for the Bournemouth equaliser, while Cairney was perhaps beaten slightly too easily in the build-up to Kluivert's wonder strike.

Marco Silva will hope the international break allows some of his injured stars to recover, but Fulham must stew on back-to-back defeats during the hiatus, ahead of facing Arsenal at Craven Cottage in 15 days' time.

Club reports 

Bournemouth report | Fulham report

What the managers said

Andoni Iraola: "It was a strange game, especially in the first half when not a lot of things happened. We had more of the ball. We had to risk and I will give credit to the players because we scored goals. It was difficult for both teams because it was raining, it was windy."

On Semenyo: "Great play from Antoine, great goal from Justin. Semenyo is in a very good spot, he is improving every season. I think he has confidence and we have to keep him there and encourage him to improve areas that he can improve. Now he is a player that is making the difference."

Marco Silva: "It's very difficult for us, the way we lost the game. The first 10-15 minutes were hard for us, Bournemouth started better than us and after that, we started to realise the moments to jump on the pressure and in more of a mid-block that I like to see."

Next PL fixtures

Key facts 

Bournemouth have won each of their last four Premier League home games against Fulham; their joint-longest home winning run against a team in the competition (also four v Everton and Leicester).

Bournemouth finished the day in second position in the Premier League (14 points – four wins, two draws and one loss); their highest-ever position in the table when having played at least two matches in a season.

Fulham's Portuguese boss Marco Silva is winless in 13 consecutive matches against Spanish opposition managers in the Premier League (three draws, 10 losses), losing all six such games in 2025. 

This was just the second time that Bournemouth won a Premier League match by two or more goals having conceded the game’s opening goal (3-1 tonight), after a 4-1 win against Leicester City back in July 2020.