In a dramatic finish at the Vitality Stadium, Rasmus Hojlund scored in injury time to grab a crucial point for Manchester United, as they drew 1-1 with Bournemouth. The late equaliser dashed the hopes of a victory for Andoni Iraola’s men, who were aiming for a vital three points in their pursuit of a European qualification spot.
Bournemouth had taken the lead midway through the first half with Antoine Semenyo’s clinical strike. United struggled to break down the resolute Cherries defence, but the game turned in the 70th minute when Bournemouth’s Evanilson was shown a red card after a VAR review of his challenge on Noussair Mazraoui.
With just ten men, Bournemouth dug in, but United’s persistence paid off. Mason Mount’s shot was deflected wide, and from the resulting corner, Luke Shaw set up Manuel Ugarte, whose shot was turned in by Hojlund to level the score.
For Bournemouth, the disappointment was palpable as the result pushed them further away from the eighth-place finish that would have secured a spot in next season’s UEFA Conference League. Manager Iraola expressed frustration over Evanilson’s red card, arguing it was harsh and critical at such a pivotal moment.
On the flip side, United’s manager, Ruben Amorim, took some comfort in the resilience shown by his team, especially as they were facing a tough run of fixtures, including a crucial Europa League semi-final. Despite Hojlund’s late goal, questions remain about United’s overall performance, with tactical issues and defensive lapses continuing to plague them.
Both teams will now turn their focus to upcoming fixtures, with Bournemouth hoping to salvage their European aspirations and United aiming for improvement ahead of their European clash.
