Report | Bournemouth 3 Swansea City 0

16th March
First team
Bournemouth away Conor Hourihane

Swansea City suffered a first defeat in five games as two first-half goals set Bournemouth on the way to the three points at the Vitality Stadium.

The home side took an early lead through Phil Billing’s spectacular volley, and extended their advantage via a Joel Latibeaudiere own goal just before the break.

Morgan Whittaker went closest to a goal for the Swans, while Ryan Manning saw his deflected cross saved, but there was no way back for Steve Cooper’s side.

And Arnaut Danjuma rounded off the scoring for the Cherries when he lashed home a left-footed strike in the closing stages.

The defeat – just a seventh in the league this term – sees Swansea stay third in the table, three points behind second-placed Watford with a game in hand.

Head coach Cooper had made one change from the weekend win at Luton, bringing Jamal Lowe in for Yan Dhanda as he tweaked his formation.

Both sides strung together some nice flowing passages of play during the opening minutes as they quickly settled.

Bournemouth away Ryan Manning

It was the hosts who landed the first blow in the ninth minute as Danjuma swung in a cross, and Billing was unmarked to crack a left-footed volley past Freddie Woodman.

Ryan Bennett then made a key block as Dominic Solanke turned and got a shot away.

Swansea responded, with Conor Hourihane leading a sharp counter but seeing his final pass for Ayew cut out, before Asmir Begovic pushed away a deflected Manning cross.

The visitors were enjoying sustained pressure, with Andre Ayew so close to getting on to a Korey Smith cross, following a neat pass from Hourihane.

At the other end, Kyle Naughton made a superb last-ditch tackle as Solanke took aim after being teed up by Billing and Danjuma just past the half-hour mark.

But the Cherries doubled their lead right on half-time in fortuitous fashion as a corner struck Latibeaudiere and beat the despairing dive of Woodman.

Bournemouth away Morgan Whittaker

With a mountain to climb, Cooper sent on Whittaker for Latibeaudiere at the break, but the next big chance fell to the hosts with Woodman making an excellent stop after Cameron Carter-Vickers was granted an unmarked header from a free-kick.

The hour mark came and went without any further action of real note, but Whittaker nearly caught Begovic out as he drove inside and got away an early curling strike that the experienced keeper had to tip around his post.

Jefferson Lerma dragged wide for Bournemouth after being found in space on the edge of the area, while the lovely Whittaker saw a shot blocked as he again cut in strongly from the right.

Dhanda and Wayne Routledge were also introduced from the bench, and Whittaker worked Begovic again from a superb Manning cross.

Swansea were asking plenty of questions of their hosts, but couldn’t find a finishing touch in order to set up a nervy finish.

Bournemouth away Korey Smith

Bournemouth: Asmir Begovic; Jack Stacey, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Steve Cook (captain), Diego Rico; Jack Wilshere (Ben Pearson 71), Jefferson Lerma; Junior Stanislas (Rodrigo Riquelme 39), Philip Billing, Arnaut Danjuma (Chris Mepham 90); Dominic Solanke.

Unused Substitutes: Mark Travers, Chris Mepham, Shane Long, Sam Surridge, Ben Pearson, Gavin Kilkenny, Jaidon Anthony, Jordan Zemura.

Swansea City: Freddie Woodman; Kyle Naughton, Ryan Bennett, Joel Latibeaudiere (Morgan Whittaker 46); Connor Roberts, Korey Smith (Yan Dhanda 68), Matt Grimes (captain), Ryan Manning; Conor Hourihane (Wayne Routledge 80); Andre Ayew, Jamal Lowe.

Unused Substitutes: Ben Hamer, Jay Fulton, Jake Bidwell, Ben Cabango, Kieron Freeman, Ollie Cooper.

Referee: James Linington