Antoine Semenyo scores as Bournemouth draw with Arsenal

Trailing at half-time to a Fabio Vieira strike at LA Galaxy’s Dignity Health Sports Park, Cherries created some good opportunities with Dominic Solanke and Dango Ouattara both going close.

But Cherries did make it 1-1 as the game entered its final 20 minutes, Semenyo’s shot deflecting in, meaning another draw on the pre-season tour, after the same score against Wrexham on Saturday.

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Andoni Iraola named a strong XI for the contest, the side much more akin to one which has become familiar in the Premier League.

That saw the likes of Neto, Illia Zabarnyi, Lewis Cook and Solanke all start. Only two players who started against Wrexham kept their places in Alex Scott and Jaidon Anthony.

Senior duo Justin Kluivert and Hamed Traore were again not involved, while Chris Mepham dropped completely out of the squad.

Arsenal, missing a host of first-team stars following their summer international exploits, had a mix of youth and experience, with Thomas Partey and Poole-born Ben White starting, alongside four academy prospects.

Zabarnyi was called into action early on, sliding in to block an Eddie Nketiah shot inside the box. From the resulting corner, Neto and Cherries looked nervy, but Nketiah could not get a proper connection on his shot.

Cherries then got some joy with their high press. Romain Faivre picked the pocket of Partey, before the ball was worked to Solanke, who fired over.

Dominic Solanke looked sharp up front (Image: Robin Jones/AFC Bournemouth)

Arsenal took the lead on 18 minutes. Reiss Nelson did well down the left, getting beyond Max Aarons and standing up a cross to the back post, where Vieira brilliantly met it to volley into the bottom corner.

Cherries responded well. Solanke saw a shot blocked, before Iraola’s side had a shout for a penalty waved away, the ball bouncing up and striking the outstretched arm of Myles Lewis-Skelly.

Faivre then dragged a shot wide before Cherries’ best chance of the half. Nelson ran into trouble and lost possession in a dangerous area, before Aarons slipped a pass in to Solanke. The striker cut inside Lewis-Skelly and smashed a shot against the crossbar.

Neto got down low to thwart Nketiah at the other end as the Gunners took a slender lead into half-time.

Both managers turned to their benches at the break. Iraola made a triple change, while Mikel Arteta brought on captain Martin Odegaard.

Cherries continued pressing well, Marcos Senesi playing a big part in stepping up from centre-back to put pressure on.

That almost yielded an equaliser early in the second period. Solanke latched onto a loose ball and slid in Faivre, but his shot lacked conviction, allowing Karl Hein to hold on.

The Estonia international then grabbed Ouattara’s shot, before Solanke fired over during a good spell for Cherries.

There were a raft of substitutions just past the hour mark. Two players introduced by Cherries almost combined to set up the equaliser. Ryan Christie’s pass through was excellently flicked by Daniel Jebbison into the path of Ouattara, but his shot was well stopped by Hein.

Cherries got their merited equaliser on 73 minutes, albeit in fortuitous fashion. Semenyo won the ball himself before driving forwards down the left. His shot deflected off Ben White, leaving Hein to helplessly watch it loop up over him and in.

Both sides went close to grabbing a winner in the closing stages. Ouattara’s shot was blocked by Jakub Kiwior, while Neto denied Leandro Trossard.

There was a pre-arranged penalty shootout to round off proceedings, Cherries beaten 5-4 with Semenyo, Ouattara, Adam Smith and Jebbison finding the net, while Philip Billing and Christie were thwarted by Hein.

Cherries: Neto; Aarons (Smith, h-t), Zabarnyi, Senesi (Hill, 81), Kerkez (Adu-Adjei, 81); Cook (Kilkenny, 88), Scott (Christie, 64); Tavernier (Ouattara, h-t), Faivre (Billing, 64), Anthony (Semenyo, h-t); Solanke (Jebbison, 64).

Unused subs: Kinsey, Travers (g/k), Dennis (g/k).

Booked: Zabarnyi, Cook.

Arsenal: Hein, White (Nichols, 78), Timber (Rekik, 63), Heaven (Kiwior, 63), Lewis-Skelly (Zinchenko, 63), Partey (Jorginho, 63), Ouland M’Hand (Odegaard, h-t), Nwaneri (Gower, 84), Vieira (Trossard, 63), Nelson (Sagoe Jr, 63), Nketiah (Jesus, 63).

Unused subs: Rosiak, Smith Rowe, Setford (g/k), Nygaard (g/k), Rojas (g/k).

Booked: Timber.