Chelsea 2-1 Bournemouth: Blues Edge Out Cherries in Tense Premier League Finale

Match Visuals

Match Overview

• Chelsea dominated possession at 61% but faced 22 shots from Bournemouth.
• Bournemouth's xG of 2.22 exceeded Chelsea's 1.14, yet Chelsea scored twice.
• The game featured five yellow cards and multiple substitutions after halftime.

Chelsea hosted Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge in the final round of the 2023 Premier League season, emerging with a 2-1 victory that reflected their control of the ball but vulnerability under pressure. The home side enjoyed 61% possession as per team_stats.normalized.49.possession=61, allowing them to dictate the tempo with 533 total passes at 86% accuracy (team_stats.normalized.49.passes_total=533, team_stats.normalized.49.pass_accuracy=86). Bournemouth, despite only 39% possession (team_stats.normalized.35.possession=39), generated more scoring chances, registering 22 total shots compared to Chelsea's 16 (team_stats.normalized.35.total_shots=22, team_stats.normalized.49.total_shots=16). This disparity was evident in expected goals, where Bournemouth's 2.22 xG outpaced Chelsea's 1.14 (team_stats.normalized.35.xg=2.22, team_stats.normalized.49.xg=1.14), suggesting the Cherries were unfortunate not to equalize. Goalkeeper Đ. Petrović's five saves (team_stats.normalized.49.gk_saves=5) were crucial in maintaining the lead, while Bournemouth's Neto made four (team_stats.normalized.35.gk_saves=4).

The match's physicality was underscored by five yellow cards and nine fouls committed by Bournemouth (team_stats.normalized.35.fouls=9), contrasting Chelsea's cleaner five fouls (team_stats.normalized.49.fouls=5). Chelsea's six corners to Bournemouth's five (team_stats.normalized.49.corners=6, team_stats.normalized.35.corners=5) provided set-piece opportunities, though only two goals resulted from open play. Bournemouth's 14 shots inside the box (team_stats.normalized.35.shots_inside_box=14) pressured Chelsea's defense, leading to six blocked shots (team_stats.normalized.49.blocked_shots=6). No red cards were issued (team_stats.normalized.49.red_cards=None, team_stats.normalized.35.red_cards=None), and offsides were minimal with Chelsea at zero and Bournemouth at one (team_stats.normalized.49.offsides=0, team_stats.normalized.35.offsides=1). Overall, Chelsea's efficiency in converting chances into a win highlighted their tactical maturity against a resilient opponent.

Key Moments

• Caicedo's 17th-minute goal opened the scoring for Chelsea.
• Sterling's quick follow-up in the 48th minute made it 2-0, assisted by Palmer.
• Badiashile's own goal in the 49th minute gave Bournemouth hope.
• Multiple substitutions around the 60th minute shifted the game's momentum.

The first key moment arrived in the 17th minute when Moisés Caicedo scored a normal goal for Chelsea, putting them ahead 1-0 (timeline.0.minute=17, timeline.0.type=goal, timeline.0.playerName=M. Caicedo, timeline.0.detail=Normal Goal, match.score.home=2 after updates). This strike, without an assist, showcased Chelsea's midfield penetration early on, as Caicedo had been active with one shot and six tackles in his 64 minutes (players.home.11.shots=1, players.home.11.tackles=6). The goal shifted momentum, allowing Chelsea to build on their possession advantage. Bournemouth responded with defensive resolve but couldn't prevent the early deficit. By halftime, the score was 1-0 (match_context.score.ht_home=1, match_context.score.ht_away=0), setting a tense tone for the second half.

Post-halftime drama unfolded rapidly: Raheem Sterling extended Chelsea's lead to 2-0 in the 48th minute with a normal goal assisted by Cole Palmer (timeline.4.minute=48, timeline.4.type=goal, timeline.4.playerName=R. Sterling, timeline.4.assistName=C. Palmer, timeline.4.detail=Normal Goal). Just a minute later, Benoît Badiashile's own goal for Bournemouth made it 2-1 (timeline.5.minute=49, timeline.5.type=goal, timeline.5.playerName=B. Badiashile, timeline.5.detail=Own Goal), injecting urgency into the visitors' performance. This sequence highlighted defensive lapses, with Badiashile playing the full 90 minutes but contributing to the own goal (players.home.2.minutes=90, players.home.2.goals=1 as own goal). Yellow cards followed, including Marc Cucurella's in the 27th minute (timeline.1.minute=27, timeline.1.type=card, timeline.1.playerName=Marc Cucurella, timeline.1.detail=Yellow Card), adding to the game's intensity. Substitutions from the 59th minute onward, like Bournemouth bringing on M. Tavernier (timeline.6.minute=59, timeline.6.type=subst, timeline.6.playerName=M. Tavernier), aimed to chase the equalizer but couldn't break through.

Tactical Notes

• Chelsea's high pass accuracy (86%) enabled midfield control, led by Gallagher's 50 passes.
• Bournemouth's counter-attacking style produced 14 inside-box shots, pressuring Chelsea's backline.
• Substitutions like Nkunku for Sterling injected energy, with Chelsea making three changes at once in the 64th minute.

Tactically, Chelsea employed a possession-based approach, completing 533 passes at 86% accuracy (team_stats.normalized.49.passes_total=533, team_stats.normalized.49.pass_accuracy=86), which allowed players like Conor Gallagher to orchestrate play with 50 passes and nine duels won in 90 minutes (players.home.5.passes=50, players.home.5.duels_won=9). This control facilitated 11 shots inside the box (team_stats.normalized.49.shots_inside_box=11), though their six on target (team_stats.normalized.49.shots_on_target=6) were converted efficiently into two goals. Bournemouth countered with a high-pressing game, committing nine fouls and earning three yellow cards (team_stats.normalized.35.fouls=9, team_stats.normalized.35.yellow_cards=3), which disrupted Chelsea's rhythm. Their 14 inside-box shots (team_stats.normalized.35.shots_inside_box=14) stemmed from quick transitions, as seen in Antoine Semenyo's three shots and 11 duels won (players.away.1.shots=3, players.away.1.duels_won=11). Chelsea's defense, bolstered by Marc Cucurella's six tackles and 11 duels won (players.home.13.tackles=6, players.home.13.duels_won=11), absorbed this pressure effectively.

Substitutions played a critical role in maintaining structure; Chelsea's triple change at the 64th minute, bringing on L. Ugochukwu, C. Nkunku, and M. Gusto (timeline.8.minute=64, timeline.9.minute=64, timeline.10.minute=64), refreshed their attack with Nkunku adding two shots in 26 minutes (players.home.6.shots=2). Bournemouth responded with changes like introducing E. Ünal, who took four shots in 69 minutes (players.away.5.shots=4, timeline.12.minute=70), aiming to exploit fatigue. Chelsea's six blocked shots (team_stats.normalized.49.blocked_shots=6) reflected solid defensive organization, while Bournemouth's four (team_stats.normalized.35.blocked_shots=4) showed their persistence. The visitors' 82% pass accuracy on 320 passes (team_stats.normalized.35.pass_accuracy=82, team_stats.normalized.35.passes_total=320) supported their direct style. Ultimately, Chelsea's tactical flexibility in substitutions and defensive duels secured the points against Bournemouth's shot-heavy assault.

Player Performances