MATCH REPORT | AFC Bournemouth 0-0 Chelsea

Bournemouth came into this weekend's game against Chelsea still hunting for that first league win under Andoni Iraola. With both sides struggling to find the back of the net this season, it promised to be a tight affair.

First Half

The first chance of the game would fall to the visitors, Mykhailo Mudryk darted into the box and found Conor Gallagher whose attempt on goal was deflected behind for a corner. The game's first booking would come moments later when Raheem Sterling cut down Dominic Solanke to stop a counterattack. 

Bournemouth's first chance would come from a free kick deep in the Chelsea half. Lewis Cook would send the ball into the box, but nobody could connect with it.

Chelsea would have another chance to score when Gallagher played through Sterling who had all the time in the world to find a shot on goal, but his shot was so wide of the goal that Max Aarons was able to clear it comfortably. 

The away side would strike the post a few minutes later with Nicolas Jackson’s powered effort. Chelsea had barely let the Cherries out of their own half in the opening 15 minutes. 

Bournemouth had the perfect chance to make it 1-0 when a quick free kick found Ryan Christie who fizzed a shot across the Chelsea box, but a recovering Robert Sanchez did well enough to save from Dango Ouattara who thought he had a tap in. 

The Cherries grew into the game following their big chance, with the game opening up and both sides creating a few half chances but not being able to make any big moves happen. Gallagher had been everywhere in the first half and had the next big chance when he found space in the box before forcing a save out of Neto. 

The half-time whistle would come ending a half that saw both sides have big chances to almost take the lead.

Second Half

Aarons would give Chelsea the first chance of the second half when he fouled Mudyrk to give Chelsea a free kick. Sterling would almost curl the ball into the top right of Neto's goal but the bar would deny him, Levi Colwill would tap home but the defender was flagged offside. 

The second half began the same way the first did, Chelsea seemed to be suffocating Bournemouth and not allowing them time on the ball. Bournemouth were trying to get the attack started with both Milos Kerkez and Aarons hoping to find the frontline down the wings. 

Bournemouth's first effort on goal of the second half would come in the 55th minute from Cook taking advantage of a scramble in the Chelsea box, however, his effort was comfortable for Sanchez. Once again, it seemed like the Cherries just needed one chance to get going and for the next few minutes, they piled the pressure on a floundering Chelsea defence. 

Kerkez would be the first Bournemouth player into the book after a tangle with Sterling. 

The game would settle into a lull with both sides trying to create something, Christie would send Justin Kluivert through on goal but Sanchez was alert and able to beat the winger to the ball. The visitors would then have their turn to attack with Gallagher driving into space but he chose to play the ball back to Jackson rather than go himself which killed a promising attack.

Chelsea defender Malo Gusto would bring down Philip Billing to give Bournemouth a free kick in a good area, but the visitors dealt with it well. The Vitality would erupt when it looked like Lesley Ugochukwu brought down Kluivert inside the area, but replays showed the incident was just outside of the box. Billing's effort was lashed at Sanchez's near post and flashed wide via a deflection. 

Solanke had a great chance to show exactly why Bournemouth gave him a new four-year deal, the forward worked himself into some space before his shot was saved well by an off-footed Sanchez. 

The period of Bournemouth domination would end with another chance for Jackson this time found by Ben Chilwell, but the striker could not get anything behind his header that tamely bounced into Neto’s arms. 

There was another shout from the crowd, this time from the away end, when a brilliant move saw Cole Palmer's effort saved by Neto and the follow-up by Ian Maatsen was blocked, he immediately appealed for handball but was waved away. 

In the dying moments, Chelsea would win a corner and Bournemouth would break with Cook looping a ball into the box, but once again Sanchez was there to claim.

The search goes on...

With that, the final moments saw nothing of note from either side and the full-time whistle would go ending the game goalless. Both sides will feel they could have taken away the three points. The hunt for that first Premier League win of the season goes on.