Rasmus Hojlund’s dramatic injury-time goal earned Manchester United a vital point in a tense match against a depleted Bournemouth side, who suffered a setback in their aspirations for European qualification.
Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth appeared to be on the cusp of a hard-fought victory, thanks to Antoine Semenyo’s clinical finish. The goal marked his 11th goal of the season and put the Cherries ahead midway through the first half.
However, the dynamics of the match shifted dramatically following a contentious call by the referee. In the 70th minute, Evanilson’s challenge on Noussair Mazraoui was reviewed by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) and upgraded from a yellow card to a red.
The Brazilian forward seemed to lose his footing as he approached the United defender, but the decision meant he would face a three-match suspension.
With the clock ticking down and their numerical advantage, Manchester United surged forward in search of an equalizer.
After a close attempt from Mason Mount that veered just wide of the target, Hojlund came through in the clutch. He reacted swiftly to turn home Manuel Ugarte’s deflected effort from close range, with Ugarte having been expertly set up by Luke Shaw’s incisive play.
This late equalizer not only lifted United to a more respectable position in the Premier League standings but also injected a sense of urgency into Bournemouth’s fight for survival.
While the result pushes Ruben Amorim’s team up to 14th in the league, their primary focus now shifts to the upcoming Europa League semi-final first leg against Athletic Bilbao.
For Bournemouth, this draw feels like a significant missed opportunity. Their pursuit of an eighth-place finish remains precarious, as they find themselves trailing Fulham and Brighton in the race for a coveted spot in next season’s UEFA Conference League, contingent on Crystal Palace’s results in the FA Cup.