Chelsea were forced to battle until the final whistle to secure a point in a thrilling Premier League encounter against Bournemouth on 14 January at Stamford Bridge. The Blues twice surrendered the lead but were rescued by a spectacular last-gasp free-kick from Reece James.
Cole Palmer gave Chelsea the perfect start, expertly dribbling past goalkeeper Mark Travers before slotting home in the 13th minute. Chelsea dominated possession throughout much of the first half, registering 10 shots on target from 26 attempts, and looked poised to control the match.
However, Bournemouth fought back after the break. Justin Kluivert leveled from the penalty spot in the 50th minute after a handball in the Chelsea box, setting up a tense second half. Antoine Semenyo then stunned the home fans with a thunderous strike in the 68th minute to put the visitors ahead 2–1.
Chelsea pushed relentlessly for an equalizer in the closing stages. Their persistence paid off in stoppage time when Reece James stepped up to curl a sumptuous free-kick past Travers in the 95th minute, sparking celebrations and salvaging a hard-fought 2–2 draw.
The match highlighted Chelsea’s attacking prowess but also exposed defensive vulnerabilities. Despite dominating possession (55%) and creating more chances, they were unable to maintain their lead until the very end. Cole Palmer’s earlier goal and James’ stoppage-time heroics were the highlights for the Blues.
Chelsea now look to regroup ahead of their next fixtures, having demonstrated both resilience and a need for tighter defensive organization.
