Photo via Sky Sports

Bournemouth beat Sturm Graz in first ever home European game

AFC Bournemouth made history on Thursday by securing their first-ever home victory in European competition, defeating Sturm Graz 3-0 in the Europa League at the Vitality Stadium. The Cherries, who have struggled to maintain leads in their Premier League campaign, took charge early in the second half and never looked back.

Evanilson opened the scoring with a stunning header from a cross by captain Adam Smith, who joined the club from England’s third tier 16 years ago. Sturm Graz pushed hard for an equalizer but were thwarted by goalkeeper Djorde Petrovic, who made key saves to preserve Bournemouth’s advantage.

The Cherries doubled their lead when Rayan capitalized on a defensive error by Daniil Khudyakov, and summer signing Álvaro Rodríguez sealed the win with a penalty in stoppage time, putting Bournemouth fifth in the Europa League group stage ahead of their next match against AC Milan.

The win marks Bournemouth’s second consecutive Europa League victory, offering a stark contrast to their recent form in the Premier League. The team’s resilience in holding onto their lead—something they’ve lacked domestically—was evident as they weathered Sturm Graz’s late challenges.

With the Vitality Stadium alive with atmosphere, the Cherries’ European debut is off to a promising start, blending attacking flair and defensive solidity in equal measure.

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