AFC Bournemouth beaten 2-1 by visitors Brighton and Hove Albion

Joao Pedro opened the scoring after four minutes for the visitors, after a Georginio Rutter shot was saved into his path by Kepa Arrizabalaga in the AFC Bournemouth net.

The hosts saw a goal disallowed for offside before half time, before another fast start saw Kaoru Mitoma double the Seagulls lead four minutes into the second period.

Carlos Baleba saw red for the visitors with half an hour to play for a second yellow card.

The Cherries got a goal back through substitute David Brooks deep into stoppage time and threw everything at getting a late equaliser.

Antoine Semenyo hit the crossbar with the final kick of the game but the Sussex side headed back across the south coast with all three points.

(Image: Richard Crease) Andoni Iraola made one change to his side that was beaten by Brentford before the international break, with Marcus Tavernier coming in for Ryan Christie, who was suspended.

Dango Ouattara returned to the bench from injury, while youngster Max Kinsey was also included.

Fabian Hurzeler’s Seagulls team saw the return of Joao Pedro and Carlos Baleba to the starting XI.

With the rain pouring down and the wind whipping around Dean Court, it was the visitors who got the game underway.

Bournemouth had the first sighter on goal as Antoine Semenyo shot from the edge of the D, but his effort went past the post.

(Image: Richard Crease) It took just four minutes for Brighton to open the scoring after a well-worked move.

Georginio Rutter played a one-two with Danny Welbeck and let fly, Kepa getting down to make a good save, but he palmed it into the path of Pedro who made no mistake, finishing well.

The Seagulls were on top in the opening exchanges but Bournemouth came back into the half.

Justin Kluivert saw a volleyed effort saved comfortably by Bart Verbruggen in the Brighton net, before Evanilson saw his shot saved when through on goal.

Marcus Tavernier went close with a shot from distance after 20 minutes, before Kluivert went close to an equaliser, his shot just going wide after good interplay between Milos Kerkez and Semenyo on the left.

(Image: Richard Crease) Rutter went into the book before Jan Paul van Hecke saw a header from a free kick easily caught by Kepa, with the keeper setting Bournemouth away on the counter.

The Brighton defender got back to block a cross for a Cherries corner, which was taken quickly to Lewis Cook and he went down in the box, with Bournemouth fans calling for a penalty, but a goal kick was given.

Semenyo was booked for a strong challenge in the left corner in the Brighton half, before Evanilson had the ball in the back of the net for the home side but it was disallowed after a VAR check for offside.

Kluivert was played in behind by Semenyo and was marginally offside, before he then squared it to the Brazilian who rolled the ball into an empty net.

(Image: Richard Crease) Baleba was booked for hauling down Evanilson on halfway, before the whistle went for the half time break, the visitors a goal to the good.

It took just four minutes of the second half for Brighton to double their lead, Rutter playing Kaoru Mitoma in behind brilliant, with the Japanese forward finishing first time past Kepa.

Evanilson nearly halved the deficit just moments later, but he pushed his shot wide after good work from Semenyo to cut back from the byline.

The visitors were reduced to ten men just before the hour mark, as Baleba saw a second yellow card for a foul on Kerkez as Bournemouth looked to counterattack.

Semenyo saw a shot saved by Verbruggen at the near post shortly after, as the mood lifted inside Dean Court.

Adams and Marcos Senesi were replaced by Dango Ouattara and Dean Huijsen on 65 minutes, as Rutter and Joao Pedro were taken off by the visitors, with Simon Adingra and Mats Wieffer coming on.

(Image: Richard Crease) Ten minutes later Iraola made another double change, with Adam Smith and Kluivert replaced by Max Aarons and David Brooks, while Matt O’Riley came on for Ayari for the Seagulls.

Evanilson went close again for Bournemouth, directing a pinpoint clipped cross from Kerkez towards goal but Verbruggen got across and claimed it on the second attempt.

Brooks fired an effort high and wide after some patient Cherries build up, before Enes Unal came on for Kerkez in the Cherries final change with 10 minutes to play.

And Unal nearly made an instant impact, but he couldn’t get enough on his header from a Ouattara cross to get it on target.

(Image: Richard Crease) O’Riley dragged a shot wide for Brighton, before Evanilson glanced a header from a corner over the bar.

Welbeck was taken off for the visitors for Evan Ferguson, before a Semenyo header went over.

The Cherries got one back through Brooks, as he finished smartly into the top corner from the right-hand side of the box, after he was laid off by Unal.

(Image: Richard Crease) Bournemouth threw everything at getting a late equaliser, with Kepa heading up for a corner in the final moments.

The set piece was cleared as far as Semenyo on the edge of the box who hit a rifled volley that had Verbruggen beaten – but it struck the cross bar and went over and the referee blew the final whistle.

AFC Bournemouth: 13, Kepa; 3, M. Kerkez (E. Ünal 80'); 5, M. Senesi (Dean Huijsen 65'); 27, I. Zabarnyi; 15, A. Smith (c), (M. Aarons 75'); 4, L. Cook (booked, 90'+6); 12, T. Adams (D. Ouattara 65'); 24, A. Semenyo (booked, 40'); 19, J. Kluivert (D. Brooks 75'); 16, M. Tavernier; 9, Evanilson.

Brighton and Hove Albion: 1, B. Verbruggen; 30, P. Estupiñán; 3, Igor Julio; 29, J. van Hecke (booked 90'+6); 34, J. Veltman; 26, Y. Ayari (M. O'Riley 76'); 20, C. Baleba (sent off for second booking, 59'); 22, K. Mitoma; 9, João Pedro (M. Wieffer 64'); 14, G. Rutter (booked, 30')(S. Adingra 64'); 18, D. Welbeck (c), (E. Ferguson 86').