Belief and resilience are traits Brentford have always displayed when faced with adversity and it was no surprise to see them here as Bryan Mbeumo’s equaliser in the third minute of added time gave them a point, preserving their unbeaten Premier League record. It appeared Bournemouth would steal victory despite a dominant second-half performance from the hosts and the equaliser was a huge blow for Andoni Iraola’s side.
“We finished the game pretty tired,” said the Bournemouth manager. “It could be a fair result. Even if we were closer, but they deserved, especially with the chances they had.”
“What a game,” said the Brentford manager, Thomas Frank. “We are playing very entertaining football and we have scored eight goals in four games. The mentality in this team is incredible and we still went for it [after the equaliser]. Very proud of the team’s performance.”
Kevin Schade retained his place in the Brentford XI having scored his first league goal for the club in last Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace and he showed why Frank decided to make his move from Freiburg permanent. He looked menacing down the left, winning aerial duels and linking up well with Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa.
After Neto, the Bournemouth keeper, got a hand to a cross he did not anticipate Schade chasing down the loose ball where he would foul the Brentford forward just outside the penalty area, somehow avoiding a booking.
From the resulting free-kick, Mathias Jensen spotted a gap at the near post and decided to fire his effort goalwards where the ball was adjudged to have crossed the line. After screams from the home support along with a delayed buzz from the watch of the referee, Robert Madley, the goal was given.
Brentford still looked vulnerable whenever Bournemouth threatened, with Justin Kluivert striking fear down the left. A neat passage of play involving the Dutch forward included Ryan Christie dribbling past two defenders but the midfielder ran into his teammate Dominic Solanke, with Mark Flekken, the Brentford goalkeeper, gratefully receiving the loose ball.
Bournemouth were almost caught out by a sublime move. A deft pass from the captain, Christian Nørgaard, set the impressive Schade away but his effort smacked a post, which was perhaps the first-half’s telling moment. A second goal could have deflated the visitors but they kept pushing and were rewarded through Solanke’s equaliser.
A well-weighted pass from Marcos Senesi set the striker away and having got the better of Ethan Pinnock, he finished with aplomb past Flekken to deservedly put Bournemouth back on level terms. The setback would have angered Frank given Jensen’s early goal but they were outplayed for the majority of the first half by a side who are winless.
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Frank would have demanded a reaction after his side’s inability to hold on to a lead at home for the third time in succession and he almost got his wish on several occasions. Rico Henry found Mbeumo unattended in the penalty area but the forward diverted his effort off-target with Neto beaten. The left-back played in Wissa but his effort hit a post
It appeared Brentford would be the next to score, but a poor back‑pass from Henry made its way into the path of James Tavernier, whose rampaging run found the substitute David Brooks, who dummied Flekken and tapped into an empty net.
It appeared Bournemouth would hang on for a first away win against these opponents since 2005 but Mbeumo’s late intervention ensured Brentford claimed a share of the points, though Frank may feel they should have taken all three.
