EPL: Bournemouth Keep Champions League Push Alive with Win at Fulham

Bournemouth beat Fulham 1-0 in red card thriller to stay sixth

A first win in five trips to Craven Cottage sees Bournemouth close on Villa in sixth. Fulham’s Champions League hopes end, though Europa qualification remains possible.

Both sides finished with 10 men as Bournemouth edged Fulham 1-0. Rayan’s strike keeps the Cherries sixth and within three points of Aston Villa...

Bournemouth made it 16 Premier League matches without defeat after a 1-0 victory over Fulham, the longest current unbeaten run in Europe’s top five leagues. The result came despite both sides being reduced to ten men in the first half.

With Champions League qualification still within reach for both clubs, the stakes were high from the opening whistle, and the game started at a frantic pace.

🍒 @afcbournemouth extend their unbeaten run to SIXTEEN matches!

They keep hold of sixth place, and they're only three points from fifth! pic.twitter.com/PpZobg85jF

— Premier League (@premierleague) May 9, 2026

Up front for Fulham, Rodrigo Muniz hadn’t found the net in any competition since the opening weekend of the Premier League season. He missed a good chance here too, guiding a strong header just wide of the near post.

 

Genuine chances were hard to come by, and the balance of the game looked to shift toward Fulham when Bournemouth went down to 10 men. Ryan Christie was sent off for a studs-up challenge on Timothy Castagne.

Fulham nearly took advantage of the extra man right away. Joachim Andersen rose to meet Harry Wilson’s inswinging cross but could only head it against the crossbar.

  

The half’s first shot on target didn’t come until stoppage time, when Sasa Lukic forced a save from Dorde Petrovic from distance. The drama wasn’t over though, as Andersen was shown a straight red for a reckless tackle on Adrien Truffert, ending his season and giving Fulham their first red card of the campaign.

With the score still 0-0 at halftime and both teams down to ten men, the second half was set up to be open. It didn’t take long for the deadlock to be broken, coming just eight minutes after the restart.

Bournemouth came out on the front foot. Eli Junior Kroupi went close first, curling an effort onto the crossbar from the edge of the area. Moments later, Rayan did one better from a similar spot, firing a bouncing shot past Petrovic for his third goal in three games.

Fulham have managed only one clean sheet in their last 11 home matches. Having also failed to score in six of their previous eight games in all competitions, they faced an uphill battle to get back into it.

Fulham pushed for an equalizer, but it was Rayan who came closest to making it 2-0 after a relentless run left the Cottagers scrambling. Substitute Amine Adli then blazed over with the goal open, and at the other end, Josh King struck the underside of the crossbar in stoppage time, leaving the score unchanged.

It was Bournemouth’s first win in five visits to Fulham, drawing D3, L1 in that run. The result keeps Andoni Iraola’s side in sixth and cuts the gap to Aston Villa to three points, though they’ve played a game more. Sixth could still be enough for Champions League qualification if Villa stay fifth and win the Europa League.

Bournemouth and Brighton continue their quest for European places, while Man Utd are held by Sunderland 🍿 pic.twitter.com/PrUFiJc0vr

— Premier League (@premierleague) May 9, 2026

For Marco Silva’s Fulham, a Champions League spot is now out of reach. European qualification through other routes is still possible, with a trip to bottom-placed Wolves up next.