Bournemouth Stages Dramatic 2-2 Comeback Against West Ham as Wilson's Bracer Ends Nine-Game Unbeaten Run

• by Arlen Fitzpatrick
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When Callum Wilson struck twice in the first half, it looked like another routine win for West Ham United against AFC Bournemouth. But football, as fans at the Vitality Stadium know all too well, doesn’t always follow the script. On Saturday, November 22, 2025, under driving rain and howling winds, Bournemouth clawed back from 2-0 down to earn a pulsating 2-2 draw in Matchweek 12 of the 2025/2026 Premier League season. It wasn’t pretty. It wasn’t easy. But it was unforgettable.

Wilson’s Masterclass, Then the Collapse

Callum Wilson, the 33-year-old English striker, looked every bit the veteran assassin. His first goal, in the 11th minute, came from a well-worked set piece — Alphonse Areola, the 31-year-old French goalkeeper, launched a long ball that found Wilson in space, and he buried it with his left foot. The second, at 35’, was pure instinct: a flick-on from a corner, a split-second adjustment, and a curling finish into the far top corner. The Vitality Stadium fell silent. West Ham had won nine of their last ten meetings with Bournemouth. This felt like another chapter in that story.

The Turning Point: Tavernier’s Penalty and Ünal’s Magic

But AFC Bournemouth had something to prove. After back-to-back 4-1 and 3-0 defeats to Manchester City and Aston Villa — seven goals conceded, zero scored — the pressure was suffocating. Manager Andoni Iraola, the 52-year-old Spaniard, made a bold move at 61’, replacing Dango Faissal Ouattara Brooks with A. Adli. Then, at 69’, the game shifted. A handball in the box by West Ham’s K. Walker-Peters — who had only just come on at half-time — handed Bournemouth a penalty. Marcus Tavernier, the 25-year-old Middlesbrough-born midfielder, stepped up. No hesitation. Cool as ice. 2-1.

Then, in the 89th minute, came the twist no one saw coming. Enes Ünal, the 28-year-old Turkish striker, had barely touched the ball since his introduction. His first two touches? A flick, then a strike. A deflection off Ryan Christie’s shot from outside the box — which had been saved by Areola — looped back to Ünal, who didn’t even look up before smashing it past the scrambling keeper. The stadium exploded. The away end, stunned. The Premier League match Vitality Stadium had witnessed its most dramatic finish in years.

Home Fortress, Historical Weight

Bournemouth’s home record this season? Four wins, one draw from five matches. That’s not luck. That’s grit. The Vitality Stadium has become a fortress, even in conditions that would make most teams fold. The wind, the rain, the sodden pitch — they didn’t hinder Bournemouth. They fueled them. Meanwhile, West Ham’s nine-game unbeaten streak against the Cherries — dating back to 2019 — was finally broken. Not by a dominant performance. Not by a goal from a star. But by resilience, by a substitute, by sheer will.

For Andoni Iraola, this was more than a point. It was a statement. After conceding seven goals in two games, his side showed they could fight. After criticism over his substitutions, his changes paid off. Adli provided energy. Ünal delivered magic. Even Antoine Semenyo Scott, the 24-year-old English-Ghanaian forward, kept pressing, kept testing, kept the West Ham defense on edge — taking corners at the 19th and 45+3’ minutes, forcing errors when the team needed them most.

What This Means for Both Teams

For West Ham, it’s a missed opportunity. They dominated for 60 minutes. They had chances. They were clinical. But they let their guard down. And in the Premier League, that’s fatal. Alphonse Areola made six saves, but couldn’t stop the chaos of a team playing for pride. Their unbeaten run against Bournemouth is over. Their momentum? Questionable.

For Bournemouth, this is a lifeline. They enter the international break on a high, having salvaged something from nothing. Their next match? A home fixture against Newcastle. With confidence restored, they could climb out of the relegation zone. The goals came from unlikely sources — Tavernier, the reliable veteran, and Ünal, the forgotten striker. That’s the beauty of football. It doesn’t care about your stats. It only cares about your heart.

Behind the Scenes: The Conditions That Shaped the Game

NBC Sports’ commentary at the 5-second mark called it “grim conditions.” They weren’t wrong. The rain came down in sheets. The wind whipped across the Dorset coast, making long balls unpredictable and passes risky. L. Guilherme, the Brazilian left-back, struggled to maintain possession. Lewis Cook, the 27-year-old York-born midfielder, had his best game in months — driving forward, pressing high, even taking a shot from distance at 49’ that forced a fine save.

The pitch, waterlogged by halftime, became a factor as much as the players. Every tackle was muddy. Every cross was a lottery. And yet, Bournemouth kept moving. Keep running. Keep believing.