Report: Late Alonso strike saves Chelsea’s blushes

Marcos Alonso scored a brace to see Chelsea escape from the jaws of defeat and earn a hard-fought 2-2 draw against Bournemouth in their Premier League clash at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday evening.

Read: Bournemouth vs Chelsea – team news, match facts and probable lineups

Eddie Howe made four changes from the side that suffered a 3-0 defeat away to Burnley, with Nathan Ake and Jefferson Lerma returning, while Lewis Cook and Ryan Fraser started in attack.

The Blues on the other hand made two changes as Fikayo Tomori and Pedro were drafted into the starting pack.

Lerma scored Bournemouth's equaliser in the 54th minute as he headed in following a cross from team-mate Ryan Fraser
Chelsea and Bournemouth during their 2-2 English Premier League clash.
(Image: Getty Images)

The clash started off on a fierce pace which saw early exhanges but nothing to show for in goals.

Alonso then put Chelsea ahead in the 33rd minute to take the visitors into a half-time break leading 1-0.

Bournemouth equalized in the 54th minute courtesy of Jefferson Lerma, before Josh King gave the Cherries a surprise lead three minutes later.

With the tie looking like it could condemn Chelsea to their second straight defeat after their midweek Champions League loss to Bayern Munich, the Spanish international had other ideas, scoring in the last five minutes to salvage a point for Frank Lampard’s charges.

The clash started off on a fierce pace which saw early exhanges but nothing to show for in goals.

Alonso then put Chelsea ahead in the 33rd minute to take the visitors into a half-time break leading 1-0.

Bournemouth equalized in the 54th minute courtesy of Jefferson Lerma, before Josh King gave the Cherries a surprise lead three minutes later.

With the tie looking like it could condemn Chelsea to their second straight defeat after their midweek Champions League loss to Bayern Munich, the Spanish international had other ideas, scoring in the last five minutes to salvage a point for Frank Lampard’s charges.

It was all Bournemouth in the opening stages of the game who went very close as early as the fourth minute with Willy Caballero producing a big save after Stacey’s cross from the right found Billing who was stopped by the Argentine.

In the ninth minute, Caballero was yet again called into action making another save with his body after a shot from Wilson.

Despite being under immense pressure, it was the Blues that got the breakthrough through Alonso after benefitting from Olivier Giroud’s effort which flicked off the bar to smash home and make it 1-0.

The Cherries returned from the dressing an inspired side, pulling matters level in 54th minute against the run of play as Lerma rose highest from a corner to power a header past Caballero to level the scores.

Three minutes later it was 2-1 for the home side with Joshua King tapping home from a feed by Stacey.

Alonso then saved the day for the Blues by getting an equalizer with five minutes left after Ramsdale had denied Pedro, reacting quickly to nod home for his brace of the evening.

Starting XI:

Bournemouth: Ramsdale, Stacey, S. Cook, Ake, Smith, L. Cook, Lerma, Billing, Fraser, King, C. Wilson.

Subs: Boruc, Francis, Rico, Gosling, Stanislas, H. Wilson, Solanke.

Chelsea: Caballero, Azpilicueta, Christensen, Tomori, James, Jorginho, Kovacic, Alonso, Pedro, Mount, Giroud.

Subs: Kepa, Rudiger, Loftus-Cheek, Gilmour, Barkley, Willian, Batshuayi.