Football news - Bournemouth take narrow lead over Brentford in playoff semi-final
ByReuters
Published 17/05/2021 at 21:13 GMT
Bournemouth will take a 1-0 lead into the second leg of their playoff against Brentford. Third-placed Brentford had been the form team ahead of the playoffs with four successive league wins, while Bournemouth, who finished sixth lost their last three of the season. But they now face a nervous second leg at their own stadium if they are to maintain their hopes of a return to the top flight
ournemouth's Adam Smith (left) holds off the challenge from Brentford's Mathias Jensen (right) during the Sky Bet Championship Play-off Semi Final 1st Leg match between AFC Bournemouth and Brentford
Image credit: Getty Images
Arnaut Danjuma's second-half goal earned Bournemouth a narrow 1-0 advantage over Brentford in the first leg of their Championship promotion playoff semi-final on Monday.
With a limited but vociferous crowd inside the Vitality Stadium, the south coast club struck in the 55th minute when Dutchman Danjuma was slid in by David Brooks before composing himself to find the back of the net.
Brentford, beaten in last year's playoff final by Fulham after squandering a chance to gain automatic promotion, searched for an equaliser and should have grabbed one when forward Bryan Mbeumo somehow failed to convert Christian Norgaard's low cross.
Third-placed Brentford had been the form team ahead of the playoffs with four successive league wins, while Bournemouth, who finished sixth lost their last three of the season.
But they now face a nervous second leg at their own stadium if they are to maintain their hopes of a return to the top flight for the first time since 1947.
Bournemouth are looking to bounce back at the first opportunity after being relegated from the Premier League last season after a five-season stay.
Playoff ties are always tense affairs when the prize is a place in the Premier League and this was no exception, although there were plenty of chances for both sides.
Bournemouth should have gone in front early on when Adam Smith got behind Brentford's defence and pulled the ball back for Philip Billing who sliced his side-footed attempt wide.
The hosts went even closer when Dominic Solanke headed a cross from Lloyd Kelly against the post.
Brentford had a penalty appeal waved away when Tariqe Fosu-Henry appeared to have been fouled but for all their possession they rarely threatened the Bournemouth goal.
After falling behind they did look the better side, but might live to rue the miss by Mbeumo. (Reporting by Martyn Herman, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
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