All four of Harry Wilson’s goals for Fulham this season had come as a substitute. Rewarded with a start by Marco Silva after coming off the bench and scoring at Chelsea on Thursday, Wilson thought he had repaid his manager’s belief with the winner against Bournemouth, only for a Bournemouth substitute to get a last gasp equaliser.
Dango Ouattara held his nerve wonderfully to get a deserved point for Andoni Iraola’s side after Evanilson had earlier cancelled out Raul Jimenez’s opener.
The draw meant that both sides remain unbeaten in their last seven games – a form record only matched by Liverpool and Arsenal in the top-flight.
This was a Championship clash in 2022 but both Fulham and Bournemouth will enter 2025 with genuine ambitions of qualifying for European football.
Iraola made four changes from the side that started their draw against Crystal Palace with Milos Kerkez, David Brooks, Philip Billing and Evanilson all coming in.
For Fulham, Silva made just the one change from their victory at Stamford Bridge with Wilson coming in for Adama Traore.
Bournemouth snatched a late equaliser at Fulham through a cheeky Dango Ouattara chip
Raul Jimenez had given Fulham the lead with a header from an outswinging corner
As Silva and his team walked out, they were greeted to chants of ‘There’s only one team in Fulham’ though they started poorly with Evanilson pouncing on a poor backpass by Jimenez but Bernd Leno did well to put the ball behind for a corner.
Both Dean Huijsen and David Brooks also came close for Bournemouth before Wilson had Fulham’s first attempt on target after combining well with Antonee Robinson.
Wilson had another strike saved a few minutes later by Kepa but Bournemouth were the much more threatening side.
Brooks came close again, cutting in past Jimenez before curling an effort that looped just over the bar before Evanilson forced Leno to make another save.
On the half-hour mark, Billing threaded the ball through to Antoine Semenyo, whose effort was saved by an outstretched Leno.
From the resulting corner, James Hill thought he had his first Premier League goal but his header was disallowed by referee Robert Jones for a foul by Semenyo on Joachim Andersen.
On reflection, it was poor of Jones to blow the whistle so early and Fulham perhaps got away with some poor defending.
Yet against the run of play, Silva’s side took the lead in the 40th minute and it was shambolic defending from Bournemouth.
From Fulham’s first corner, Andreas Pereira’s outswinging delivery found the unmarked Raul Jimenez, who headed in with aplomb for his sixth league goal of the season.
The goal made the 33-year-old the joint-top scoring Mexican in Premier League history, level with Javier Hernandez.
Evanilson brought Bournemouth level the first time after holding off Joachim Andersen
Harry Wilson made Bournemouth pay for their missed chances as he put Fulham back in front before the Cherries netted a late equaliser
Shortly after the restart, Ryan Christie was booked for a bad challenge on Robinson which led to a huge scuffle, with the Fulham players furious but Peter Bankes on VAR duty deemed that it wasn’t worthy of a red card. Christie caught Robinson with his studs and Iraola’s side were somewhat fortunate to reach the break with 11 men.
They started the second half strongly with Semenyo and Brooks both testing Leno again in the first five minutes and in the 51st minute, they had a deserved equaliser.
Hill delivered a lovely lofted delivery through to Evanilson, who held off Andersen and finished past Leno.
Bournemouth enjoyed more of the ball but Timothy Castagne forced Kepa to make a good stop from a Fulham counter before Alex Iwobi’s cross found Jimenez, whose header was saved by Kepa and his goalbound effort on the rebound was blocked by Huijsen.
At the other end, Evanilson went through on goal but with only the keeper to beat, his touch was too heavy and Leno dealt with the danger.
By now it was end-to-end with Leno using his feet to save from Billing before Wilson made Bournemouth pay for those missed chances in the 72nd minute.
Iwobi found Robinson, who crossed with his right-foot and found Wilson, whose header was too good for Kepa.
The Welsh midfielder was greeted off with chants of ‘Harry Wilson, he’s done it again’ by the home supporters as he made way for Adama Traore but Fulham failed to hold on.
Marco Silva will be disappointed that his side failed to hold on for all three points
Andoni Iraola was thrilled as his team fought back to earn a point on the road
Issa Diop carelessly lost the ball in his own half and Semenyo found Ouattara, who calmly chipped the ball over Leno and into the Fulham net.
Truth be told, a point was no less than Iraola’s side deserved as they stayed in sixth and reached the halfway stage of the season with a club record 30 points.
It was Fulham who pushed harder and they took the lead once more through another header, this time from Harry Wilson who nodded home an Antonee Robinson cross.
The Cottagers looked to be heading into sixth but blew their lead in the 90th minute, giving the ball away to Antoine Semenyo who found Dango Ouattara who chipped home.
