Sociedad 1 - 2 B'mouth

First-half goals by Justin Kluivert and Rayan helped Bournemouth start their maiden European campaign with a memorable 2-1 win at Real Sociedad.

The Cherries had been surprisingly made favourites to win the Europa League, but Marco Rose watched his team justify their tag with a professional display on the road.

Kluivert’s 11th-minute goal was followed by Rayan’s header nine minutes later, and although Sergio Gomez pulled one back, Bournemouth held on to claim all three points from their first match in Europe.

This fixture at San Sebastian was the latest chapter in a remarkable story for the Cherries, with a first European tie in the club’s history occurring only 18 years on from them being mired in financial trouble and on minus 17 points in the fourth tier of English Football.

After Eddie Howe masterminded a great escape and three subsequent promotions, last season’s sixth-place finish under Andoni Iraola earned a place in the Europa League, but Rose was the man tasked with ensuring Bournemouth marked history with a win.

The key moments from the Anoeta Stadium

11: GOAL! The unmarked Kluivert side foots home Adrien Truffert’s low cross from the left to open the scoring after a lengthy VAR review.

20: GOAL! Rayan heads home Alex Scott’s gorgeous lofted pass to put the visitors in control.

25: POST! Evanilson almost adds a third, only for his glancing header to hit the post with the ‘keeper beaten.

57: GOAL! Gomez brings the hosts back into the contest with what looked to be a cross from out wide.

85: GREAT SAVE! Orri Oskarsson is found in space in the box, but Djordje Petrovic does well to keep out the striker’s low drive.

90+1: WHAT A SAVE! Petrovic again comes to Bournemouth’s rescue with a sensational close-range reaction stop to deny Oskarsson at the back post.

That’s Bournemouth football – Rose sees lots to like in Europa League win

Bournemouth head coach Marco Rose:

“That’s Bournemouth. That’s Bournemouth football. We want to be active, we want to be front-footed, we want to play forward and we want to create chances. We had a header to be 3-0 up, but in the end a game is 90 minutes,” Rose told TNT Sports.

“It was very intense and tough. In the end an enjoyable result. A brilliant first half in everything. Our effort, attitude and the way we won balls with our pressing, our out of possession game and our goals.

“A top first half. Second half we needed to suffer and we were not so sharp. In the end it was a deserved win but we need to talk about the second half.”

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