Match ends, Bournemouth 2, Brighton and Hove Albion 1.
Jermain Defoe scored a well-taken winner as Bournemouth came from behind to claim their first Premier League win of the season against Brighton.
Defoe turned in the box and drilled home a clinical finish - his first goal since joining the Cherries in the summer - after being put through by substitute Jordon Ibe.
Winger Ibe has struggled since arriving at Bournemouth from Liverpool for £15m in 2016, but he also made the first goal with a clever backheel to Andrew Surman, who coolly stroked in.
After a dismal first half, the game came to life in the second period as Solly March headed in the opener for visitors Brighton from Pascal Gross' pinpoint cross.
Minutes earlier, defender Dale Stephens nodded an effort against the crossbar after Surman had cleared Shane Duffy's header and Davy Propper's follow-up off the line.
The two sides meet again at the Vitality Stadium on Tuesday in the third round of the EFL Cup.
Ibe finally contributes
Up until Ibe's introduction on 65 minutes in place of Ryan Fraser, the Cherries were largely poor, failing to break down a Seagulls backline which had been sitting deep.
Full-back Charlie Daniels, who scored a stunner against Manchester City in the last league game, strode forward and struck a rising drive straight at Mathew Ryan, and striker Defoe came close when he spun and struck from the edge of the box.
But England Under-21 international Ibe, who provided no goals or assists in 25 league games last season, laid on two goals on Friday and almost got on the scoresheet late on with a free-kick that curled inches wide.
The pressure had been mounting on Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe after starting the Premier League campaign with four straight defeats, but the win moves them three points clear of bottom side Crystal Palace, who host Southampton on Saturday.
Howe said of Ibe's contribution: "He made a huge difference, the ability to beat people and be positive with the ball. The two assists were excellent and I am really pleased for him."
Gross looks pretty for Brighton
This was a meeting of two south-coast teams living a fairytale in the top flight of English football.
In 2008-09, Bournemouth were hit with a 17-point deduction after financial problems and they finished the season just two places above the relegation zone in League Two.
Brighton's long climb to the Premier League came having finished 23rd out of 24 teams in the old Division Three - now League Two - in 1997-98. The previous season, they finished in the same position and on the same points as Hereford, but stayed in the Football League by virtue of having scored three more goals than the Bulls.
Chris Hughton's side were proving tough to break down early on against Bournemouth and managed to take the lead courtesy of Gross' cross to fellow midfielder March.
German Gross, who created the most chances (98) in the Bundesliga for Ingolstadt last season, will be key if the Seagulls are to stay in the division, having been involved in all his team's goals this term - two goals and two assists.
Man of the match - Andrew Surman (Bournemouth)
Analysis
Former England midfielder Jermaine Jenas on BBC Radio 5 live
Give credit to the Bournemouth players and manager.
Eddie Howe would have been very disappointed with what he saw in the first half. He let them come out in the second half and then decided to make a change. And Jordon Ibe made the difference - with two assists.
You can sense the relief around this stadium and on the players' faces with the celebrations - they'll feel they can kick on now. It shows good togetherness that they have come through this.
To be fair to Eddie Howe, he never veers away from how they play football. The reason it hasn't been going great is because individually they haven't been performing.
But winning and scoring goals breeds confidence. There'll be smiles on faces at training now and looking forward to their next games.
I thought Brighton were cruising for 65 minutes. Chris Hughton will be disappointed.
'A confidence lift' - what they said
Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe, speaking to Match of the Day: "A lot of emotions, relief is probably the biggest one. We have had a tough run of fixtures and today was really important.
"They played deep, they were compact and we knew it would be difficult. The two goals have given everyone a confidence lift."
Brighton boss Chris Hughton, speaking to Match of the Day: "Incredibly disappointed. They have a lot of quality and move the ball well, but we handled it well for a lot of the game. It was two poor goals we conceded that we never looked like conceding before then.
"I thought it was a really good period for us just before we scored. Up until then they had a lot of possession but I felt we were always in the game."
Jer-main man - the stats
- Bournemouth extended their unbeaten run against Brighton to seven games (won four, drawn four).
- Defoe scored his first goal for Bournemouth since May 2001 (5,977 days ago), when he was playing alongside Howe for the Cherries at Reading.
- Defoe has now scored against 36 different Premier League teams. Only three players have scored against more - Frank Lampard (39), Andrew Cole (38) and Alan Shearer (37).
- Defoe has scored in 17 different Premier League seasons, with only three players scoring in more - Lampard (18), Paul Scholes (19) and Ryan Giggs (21).
- Ibe is the first Bournemouth player to provide two assists in a Premier League game.
Line-ups
Bournemouth
Formation 4-4-1-1
- 27Begovic
- 15A Smith
- 2Francis
- 5Aké
- 11Daniels
- 24FraserSubstituted forIbeat 65'minutes
- 8Arter
- 6Surman
- 7Pugh
- 17KingSubstituted forGoslingat 90+3'minutes
- 18DefoeSubstituted forAfobeat 78'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Boruc
- 4Gosling
- 9Afobe
- 16L Cook
- 26Mings
- 31Mousset
- 33Ibe
Brighton
Formation 4-4-1-1
- 1Ryan
- 23Rosenior
- 22Duffy
- 5Dunk
- 29Suttner
- 11KnockaertSubstituted forIzquierdoat 76'minutes
- 6Stephens
- 24Pröpper
- 20March
- 13GroßSubstituted forMurrayat 77'minutes
- 10Hemed
Substitutes
- 4Hünemeier
- 12Mäenpää
- 15Murphy
- 17Murray
- 18Goldson
- 19Izquierdo
- 21Schelotto
- Referee:
- Craig Pawson
- Attendance:
- 10,369
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home63%
- Away37%
- Shots
- Home15
- Away9
- Shots on Target
- Home3
- Away2
- Corners
- Home6
- Away4
- Fouls
- Home5
- Away12
Live Text
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Full Time
Second Half ends, Bournemouth 2, Brighton and Hove Albion 1.
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Marc Pugh (Bournemouth) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Shane Duffy (Brighton and Hove Albion).
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Offside, Bournemouth. Nathan Aké tries a through ball, but Benik Afobe is caught offside.
Substitution
Substitution, Bournemouth. Dan Gosling replaces Joshua King.
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Offside, Brighton and Hove Albion. Solly March tries a through ball, but Shane Duffy is caught offside.
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Attempt missed. Jordon Ibe (Bournemouth) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right from a direct free kick.
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Joshua King (Bournemouth) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Lewis Dunk (Brighton and Hove Albion).
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Harry Arter (Bournemouth) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Foul by Davy Pröpper (Brighton and Hove Albion).
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Corner, Bournemouth. Conceded by Liam Rosenior.
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Jordon Ibe (Bournemouth) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Davy Pröpper (Brighton and Hove Albion).
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Attempt missed. Liam Rosenior (Brighton and Hove Albion) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Solly March with a cross following a corner.
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Corner, Brighton and Hove Albion. Conceded by Simon Francis.
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Foul by Benik Afobe (Bournemouth).
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Shane Duffy (Brighton and Hove Albion) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Benik Afobe (Bournemouth).
Comments
Join the conversation
This from a non crazy Liverpool fan..
Cheque book manager with one of the lowest costing squads in the PL?
Overrated? Not by himself although he can point to taking a lowly club from Div 1 to PL in 3 seasons. What have you achieved in the game to be able to knock him?
Premier league has no place on Friday night tv. Let the lower leagues have some air for goodness sake
Think you're funny...?
Well you're not...
Anyone can see that...
Toddle off back to your basements...
See what I'm saying...?
He is well under rated . HE GETS GOALS .. Priceless
You are a disgrace to LFC and the good supporters of the club and the people of the city.
You lack any class
No I'm not a Bournemouth fan, just an onlooker, observing a prat embarrassing the name of his club and fellow supporters
#it'snotlikelytobeyouryear
#hendersonisadonkey
#yawn
I was going to give you a thumbs up just out of sympathy until i read " Liverpool is a proper team" if only you had put Are a proper team i might have been tempted.