Bournemouth 1-0 Fulham: Cherries reignite push for Europe as Antoine Semenyo strikes inside the primary minute to down fellow contenders

There are those nights where you suddenly sense nothing will go your way and for Fulham manager Marco Silva, that realisation must have dawned in the 57th minute of this showdown for the European scraps when he tried to make a triple substitution.

It is usually straightforward enough – three on, three off, away we go – but confusion commenced this time. Ryan Sessegnon’s No 30 was raised, except Silva did not want him removed. 

It transpired there had been a cock-up between Fulham’s staff and the fourth official Tim Robinson, who ordered Sessegnon must do as told by his electronic board. 

Silva, as you can imagine, did not take too kindly to Robinson telling him he would not undo the error.

The whole farcical episode lasted three minutes or so, and only summed up what was a frustrating evening for Silva as his side lost to a Antoine Semenyo strike after 53 seconds.

Had Fulham won here, they would have climbed to 51 points, and could then have drawn level with Chelsea by beating them at Craven Cottage next weekend. Instead, Bournemouth took their eighth-placed position in the Premier League on goal difference.

Antoine Semenyo scored the winner as Bournemouth beat Fulham at Vitality Stadium

Semenyo capitalised on a defensive error to slot across Bernd Leno and into the corner

The three points sent the Cherries up into eighth and a potential Conference League place

Fulham’s evening was summed up by a botched substitution, leaving Marco Silva furious

Evanilson squandered a golden chance to put the hosts two goals up when he struck the bar

Fulham pressured the Bournemouth goal but Kepa Arrizabalaga saved from Ryan Sessegnon

Rodrigo Muniz also guided a weak header at the far post into the arms of the goalkeeper

‘There was a lack of communication with the fourth official from our staff there – the No 2 and No 3,’ said Silva, who was believed to have been trying to substitute Sasa Lukic, who wears 20, instead. ‘When I saw Sessegnon out, I tried to correct it. He (Robinson) decided not to let us correct it.’

Silva also believed Bournemouth should have had Marcos Senesi dismissed for a nasty challenge on Joachim Andersen. He escaped with a caution, and Andoni Iraola substituted him immediately to avoid the risk of a second yellow.

‘The fourth official was confused throughout the game, in all circumstances,’ Silva added.

Bournemouth scored from their first counter-attack after pouncing on Timothy Castagne’s careless pass. Credit where it is due, referee Michael Oliver played an important part with a fine advantage after a foul on Alex Scott. Antonee Robinson – heavily linked with Liverpool – did not cover himself in glory as he allowed Semenyo to take the ball and score from 18 yards.

Evanilson sent the ball crashing into the crossbar from close range while Tyler Adams and Lewis Cook likewise went close. Rodrigo Muniz and Sessegnon then sent headers straight into Bournemouth goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga’s arms.

Fulham wanted a man advantage for the second half after Senesi slid in on Andersen. VAR Jarred Gillett decided it was not reckless enough to upgrade Oliver’s original caution, as Iraola immediately replaced Senesi with Illia Zabarnyi, much to Silva’s frustration.

That anger was only amplified when the substitution calamity cropped up as Fulham maintained their strange record of winning one and losing the next – a pattern they have now repeated for the last two months, much to the detriment of their European push.