Bournemouth missed the chance to move into the Premier League’s top four after they failed to recover from the first-half sending-off of Illia Zabarnyi to go down 1-0 against Wolves at the Vitality Stadium.
The defender was dismissed in the 31st minute for leaving his studs on the shin of Rayan Ait-Nouri and within minutes Vitor Pereira’s side had made their advantage count as Matheus Cunha netted his 13th league goal of the season to send Wolves five points clear of the relegation zone.
For Andoni Iraola and Bournemouth it was an opportunity not taken, as with fourth-place Manchester City not playing until Sunday they lost for only the second time in 14 league games and spurned their shot at climbing into the top four.
Indeed they failed to summon a second-half shot on goal, unable with 10 players to produce the kind of intensity that has fired their unlikely push for the Champions League, as Wolves clung on for a crucial win in their battle against the drop.
Twice in the opening 15 minutes goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga saved Bournemouth. After Nelson Semedo’s drive had smacked a post, the Chelsea loanee leapt up to beat away Jean-Ricner Bellegarde’s rebound, then minutes later dived low to his right to palm Cunha’s curler to safety.
At the other end Jose Sa closed the angle well to smother away Justin Kluivert’s effort when he was played in by a devilish Antoine Semenyo through-ball. Bournemouth called for a penalty when Ryan Christie’s shot caught Matt Doherty on the arm but the referee was unmoved.
The game turned on a red card and so did the mood inside the ground. Bournemouth supporters responded furiously when Michael Salisbury first showed Zabarnyi a yellow card for fouling Ait-Nouri in midfield, but that ire was magnified when, following a pitchside review, the referee deemed the defender had left his foot high on Ait-Nouri’s ankle. To a chorus of boos the punishment was upgraded, and Zabarnyi walked.
Bournemouth looked to ride the indignant outpouring from their supporters. Dango Ouattara displayed exquisite control to bring the ball down in his stride before drawing an equally impressive near-post stop from Sa.
The save would prove crucial as a minute later Wolves led. Joao Gomes knocked a short pass back to Marshall Munetsi who swung over a cross that bamboozled Bournemouth’s defence. Dean Huijsen miscalculated, attempting to clear with his head when his foot might have served, and allowed the ball to reach Cunha in space who swept it high into the net.
Munetsi conjured an atrocious miss for Wolves just past the hour mark, somehow guiding the ball wide when unmarked six yards out after a lovely cutback from Bellegarde.
Bournemouth laboured on but had been rocked by being reduced to 10 men and could not find the spark needed to put pressure on Wolves, who saw out the win.
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