Arsenal drop points at home in match with Bournemouth 

Arsenal drop points at home in match with Bournemouth 

Goals from Junior Kroupi and Alex Scott gave Bournemouth a 2-1 victory at Emirates Stadium for a second season running.

Teenager Kroupi opened the scoring for the Cherries with a back-post finish before Viktor Gyokeres slammed home his penalty to take his tally to 18 goals in his debut campaign.

But Bournemouth found the winner with 15 minutes remaining as Scott’s composed finish from close range inflicted Arsenal’s second home loss of the season.

Bournemouth came into the game on the back of a 22-day break since their last match, a 2-2 draw with Manchester United, and started the better, but rarely troubled Arsenal’s defence in the opening exchanges.

Arsenal looked for channels to open the game up, with Noni Madueke slipping Gyokeres in down the right, but the Swede wasn’t able to find the onrushing Gabriel Martinelli inside the six-yard box.

It was the Cherries who made their dominance count after 16 minutes. Ryan Christie produced a fine through ball to Adrien Truffert, who’s deflected cross was volleyed home at the back post by Kroupi.

Arsenal almost responded three minutes later as Kai Havertz went close, meeting Declan Rice’s tantalising corner but could only head over the bar.

Kroupi continued to look dangerous, but only a brilliant block by Gabriel denied the Frenchman a second on the day.

With set pieces causing problems for the visitors, Arsenal came close to scoring but Declan Rice’s goal-bound shot was deflected for a corner. However, from the set piece, Gabriel’s shot hit Christie’s arm, causing Michael Oliver to point to the spot.

Gyokeres picked up the ball and slammed home to maintain his 100% record from the spot in Arsenal colours and level the contest.

It was a nervy second half that produced few chances few and far between at the Emirate.

Within 10 minutes of the restart, Mikel Arteta made a triple change, with Leandro Trossard, Max Dowman and the returning Eberechi Eze coming on.

There was a heart-in-mouth moment for the Emirates faithful as David Raya’s outside-of-the-boot clearance hit striker Evanilson, but the Brazilian couldn’t get it under control.

The reverse fixture in January saw Rice net a double, and he went close to adding to that tally, firing from range to force Djordje Petrovic into a fingertip save.

The hard yards were being put in by every player on the pitch to try to dig out the victory. Eze won the ball back well before Trossard produced a fine last-ditch tackle to stop Tyler Adams scoring

But the Cherries wouldn’t be denied a second to reward their possession. Well worked played down the right saw the ball played through to Scott who rifled home from close range to give Bournemouth the lead with 15 minutes to play.

As time run out for a leveller, a tempting cross from Dowman was punched clear into a body of players and the ball fell to Gyokeres but his effort was narrowly deflected over.

Even though chances kept coming, there was no goal, with Gabriel Jesus pinpoint header tipped over by Petrovic.

Again, five minutes of injury time, Gyokeres found himself in space on the edge of the box but fired wide as Arsenal lost its second league match of the season at home.

The team will continue its Champions League campaign next by hosting Sporting CP on Wednesday, April 15, at Emirates Stadium, and head to Manchester City on Sunday, April 18, for their Premier League clash.