Chelsea 2-2 Bournemouth (14 Jan, 2025) Game Analysis ESPN (UK)

Chelsea captain Reece James rescued a point for his side with a 95th-minute free kick to snatch a 2-2 draw at home to Bournemouth in the Premier League on Tuesday.

Second-half substitute James, who returned from a long spell out injured at the weekend, beat goalkeeper Mark Travers with a perfectly placed curling shot into the far corner of the net.

But it was two points dropped for the hosts who dominated much of the game, scoring through Cole Palmer in the first half before allowing Bournemouth to reply with a penalty from Justin Kluivert early in the second period.

Palmer scored his 14th Premier League goal of the season after receiving a neatly weighted ball from Nicolas Jackson who had squirmed free of three Bournemouth midfielders on the halfway line.

The Chelsea talisman then sent Travers to the floor with a little dummy and rolled the ball into his net.

Chelsea had several first-half chances, through Jackson, Palmer and Enzo Fernández to double their lead.

But they let the visitors back into the game three minutes into the second half when Moisés Caicedo brought down Antoine Semenyo in the penalty area and Kluivert sent Robert Sánchez the wrong way from the spot.

The Stamford Bridge faithful were stunned into silence in the 67th minute when Semenyo rounded 18-year-old defender Josh Acheampong and sent a near-post rocket past keeper Sánchez.

Travers kept Bournemouth ahead, keeping out shots from Jackson who was busy all night but could not get a ball past the goalkeeper and the visitors looked dangerous on the break.

James, a product of the Chelsea academy, who has been plagued by injury all season, roared in celebration and relief when his free-kick hit the back of the net with three more added-on minutes to play.

Chelsea, who have failed to win in their last five league games, stay in fourth place in the table on 37 points from 21 matches, with Bournemouth seventh on 34.