Sun Sep 15 03:49:37 UTC 2024: ## Chelsea Edge Past Bournemouth in Scrappy Encounter
**Bournemouth, England:** Chelsea secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Bournemouth on Saturday thanks to a late goal from substitute Christopher Nkunku.
The match at the Vitality Stadium was a tense affair, with both sides struggling to find their rhythm. Bournemouth had the better of the chances in the first half, hitting the woodwork twice and seeing a penalty from Evanilson saved by Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez.
However, it was Chelsea who ultimately emerged victorious, with Nkunku scoring the winning goal just four minutes from time. The French forward, making his first Premier League appearance of the season, finished clinically after receiving a pass from Sanchez.
The match saw a record-breaking number of yellow cards, with referee Anthony Taylor dishing out 14, surpassing the previous Premier League record of 12.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca praised his team’s resilience, emphasizing their ability to overcome a lack of cohesion and secure a vital win. “You cannot come here and win without getting your shirt dirty,” he said.
New signing Jadon Sancho, making his debut for the Blues after a turbulent spell at Manchester United, impressed in his cameo appearance. The England international, who shone on loan at Borussia Dortmund last season, showed glimpses of his talent and appeared to be a key part of Chelsea’s late surge.
Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola was left frustrated by his side’s inability to convert their numerous chances. “We had more everything, more shots, more corners, but at the end what really matters is to score and they did it at the end,” he said.
The victory moves Chelsea up to seventh in the Premier League table with seven points from their opening four matches.
First Piper 