Wolves 2-4 Bournemouth
by Gene Sylvester
at Molineux Stadium

A HAT-TRICK of penalties from forward Justin Kluivert set a new Premier League record on Saturday while also contributing to a 4-2 victory for Bournemouth as Gary O’Neil’s troops were left to rue a string of defensive errors.

“Justin is just as good in training at taking penalties,” beamed Andoni Iraola following the game.

Bournemouth’s first penalty award came following a long ball down field over the back of the Wolves defence from Marcos Senesi. 

Brazilian striker Evanilson beat Wolves defender Toti Gomes to the ball before going down under a clumsy challenge with the Portuguese defender going to ground and kicking the striker’s ankles.

Kluivert, who had scored his first penalty of the season in the Cherries’ 2-0 victory against Arsenal, stepped up to send Wolves goalkeeper Jose Sa the wrong way and give the away team a third minute lead.

“We prepped for those long balls from Senesi on the grass, so to concede a penalty in the first minute from something that we knew was coming is miles below the standard that we have set,” stated O’Neil recalling his team’s nightmare start.

The home team looked as though they had recovered from the bleak beginning when Jorgen Strand Larsen glanced in a terrific header following a delicious cross from the right by Jean-Ricner Bellegarde.

But before the home fans could finish exhaling from their collective sigh of relief, Bournemouth took the lead again 3 minutes later courtesy of Milos Kerkez’s powerful left footed shot high into Sa’s net following a flowing move that included the two stars of the show, Kluivert and Evanilson.

The supporters were left holding their heads in their hands again 7 minutes later when Toti’s back pass to Sa under pressure from the Bournemouth forwards allowed Evanilson to get his foot to the ball just as the goalkeeper was in motion of kicking it away.

Sa’s attempted clearance resulted in him kicking the back of the Bournemouth striker’s leg and sending him tumbling with the penalty being immediately given by referee Peter Bankes.

Kluivert stepped up again and this time put the ball to the left of Sa, who despite diving the right way couldn’t reach the penalty kick and Bournemouth were 3-1 up within 15 minutes.

“There were lots of errors that gave us no chance of winning the game,” reflected the Wolves boss. “But we take responsibility, there is no blame on any individual.” 

Goncalo Guedes was introduced by O’Neil in the 63rd minute and it only took 5 minutes for the sub to make his mark as he slipped a ball down the side of the Bournemouth defence and into the path of Strand Larsen, who fired over Kepa in the Bournemouth goal to give the home fans some hope.

But again, Wolves were the architects of their own downfall when another substitute Craig Dawson played a ball back towards Sa, but the lively Evanilson again beat the Portuguese keeper with Sa’s momentum taking him into the striker and bundling him over for the third penalty of the game.

Kluivert once again stepped up and dispatched his penalty effortlessly to put the away side 4-2 up, effectively ending the game as a contest.

A contented Andoni Iraola spoke after the game saying “We didn’t know whether we should have let Kluivert take the third penalty.”

Despite the hat-trick heroes display, the Bournemouth manager also reserved praise for his Brazilian striker.

“I also want to mention Evanilson as his work-rate and effort is also so important to the team.”