AFC Bournemouth delivered an impressive performance to secure a draw with Chelsea in this afternoon’s Premier League game at the Vitality Stadium.
It was a hard-fought but fruitless match for both Bournemouth and Chelsea as they finished 0-0 despite flashes of promise throughout.
This result pulls Bournemouth up from 14th to 13th in the table, while Manchester City and Aston Villa continue to pull away from Chelsea in 4th and they lose a big opportunity to put up a title chance after Arsenal's defeat earlier today.
Antoine Semenyo would be the first to bring hope to the home crowd as he put the ball into the back of the net, but Evanilson was found offside in the buildup to erase a potential early lead.
The Cherries would prove to be the better in the first half with a couple more close calls, and Chelsea were unable to register a single shot on target.
A big blow came for the visitors as LIam Delap went down hard on his right shoulder in a collision with Marcos Senesi, and he retreated down the tunnel immediately after, with Marc Guiu coming on.
The second half started with yet another opportunity for Bournemouth, but Evan Tavanier put it wide.
Djordje Petrovic was forced into his first proper saves as Pedro Neto, Alejandro Garnacho, and Cole Palmer each took a shot.
Palmer, who excited fans with a start after a long injury break, showed none of the excellent form he had last season and came off before the hour after a lackluster performance today.
The Blues picked up their game and started to push harder, seeking a win to narrow their deficit at the top of the table, and they looked much better in this half.
But it would all be too little too late as attempt after attempt was saved or off-target, and both teams will have to settle for a draw and a point each today.
Chelsea will travel to Atalanta in just three days for a big Champions League match, while Bournemouth will play Manchester United next on the 15th.
