EAST RUTHERFORD — Bournemouth overcame a sluggish first half and erupted after the break, scoring three times in a 14-minute span to secure a 3-0 win over Everton in the opening match of the Premier League Summer Series on Saturday at MetLife Stadium.
Everton started brightly, looking the more organized and dangerous side in the opening 45 minutes. Dwight McNeil was a consistent threat down the left flank, while Iliman Ndiaye stood out with his movement and creativity in the final third. The Toffees came close to breaking the deadlock through Beto and Carlos Alcaraz, but goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic made key stops to keep the match level.
Despite their strong start, Everton couldn’t maintain control in the second half.
Bournemouth made two changes at halftime with Neto replacing Petrovic in goal and Philip Billing coming on in midfield. The shift paid immediate dividends. In the 55th minute, Billing played a tidy one-two with Hamed Traorè before curling a beautiful shot into the top corner from outside the box, leaving Jordan Pickford no chance.
Just four minutes later, Dango Ouattara doubled the lead. Pressing high, Ouattara forced Nathan Patterson into a mistake, pounced on the loose ball, and drilled a shot in off the post to make it 2-0.
Bournemouth sealed the result in the 69th minute. Newly introduced forward Daniel Adu-Adjei took advantage of a heavy touch from Jake O’Brien, raced in alone on goal, and calmly slotted past Pickford for the Cherries’ third.
From there, the match slowed, with both sides making a flurry of substitutions. Bournemouth gave minutes to Julian Araujo, Romain Faivre, Chris Mepham, Remy Rees-Dottin, and others, showcasing the depth of their squad. Everton introduced new signing Thierno Barry along with Harrison Armstrong, Youssef Chermiti, and Tyler Onyango, but the damage was already done.
While Everton were the better team in the first half, Bournemouth completely flipped the momentum after halftime and were clinical in front of goal. For the Toffees, the early sharpness faded quickly, and defensive errors proved costly.
Still early in preseason, both clubs will take away lessons, but Bournemouth’s response and execution after the break made them deserving winners on the night.
“For us, substitutions are key,” Bournemouth head coach Andoni Iraola said post-match. “We want to play with a high rhythm so the other team also feels the legs, especially in preseason. And the ones coming from the bench, even if they think they are not playing many minutes, they are the ones making the difference.”
On Philip Billing’s impact, Iraola added: “He was very good, he’s training very well. Also, in preseason, even if he is not playing as many minutes, you have to consider that he won the Serie A with Napoli. This is a big achievement, and I’m happy to have him again with the team.”
The Premier League Summer Series continues July 30 at Soldier Field in Chicago, where Everton will look to rebound against West Ham United, while Bournemouth aims to carry their momentum into a matchup with Manchester United.
